; Keiki - Hawaii Central Federal Credit Union

NOTICE: Our offices will be closing at 12PM on Friday March 29, 2024 for Staff Training.

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Press Release

HONOLULU, HI—“I’m thankful I’m going to be a nurse and it will be, in part, because of Hawaii Central Federal Credit Union (FCU),” said Jasmine-Kortney Young-Gusman, the first ever awardee of the Hawaii Central FCU Nursing Scholarship.

“I graduate in Spring 2026, and plan to continue working in Hawai'i either in the Emergency Room or in the Operating room,” said Jasmine who added that she works well under pressure and feels called back to the high-pressure settings of the Emergency and Operating rooms.

“Jasmine’s story of fighting through adversity is heartwarming. We are so proud to be a part of her educational journey and celebrate with her as she hits such an important milestone in that journey,” said Hawaii Central FCU President Drake Tanabe, who added that Jasmine and her story exemplify our mission and the community of people we aim to serve at Hawaii Central FCU.

Jasmine earned her white coat at a ceremony on March 2, 2024. For Jasmine and others in her cohort, the ceremony is the midway marker of their time at Chaminade and the beginning of their clinical rotations.

She fought through tears as she relayed her story as the first in her family to attend college. Jasmine said the scholarship brought her the validation she needed, knowing that people in the community believed in her potential.

Before attending Chaminade, she shared that she worked for eight years as a Medical Assistant with Straub where she became a certified ECG and Phlebotomy technician—gaining experience in the Emergency Room, Operating Room, and Urology Department.

While there, she enjoyed a sense of fulfillment and happiness through building meaningful connections with her patients over the years.

That sense of fulfillment, along with the birth of her first child, prompted Jasmine to pursue a degree in Nursing. She says the scholarship has really helped her meet her school expenses and maintain balance with her responsibilities at home with her 2-year-old son.

 

Hawaii Central Federal Credit Union Presents HUGS with a Check

August 1, 2023

Honolulu, Hawaii – HUGS Executive Director Amy Morton-Sogi and Development Director Alex Wereszczynskyj stopped by the Hawaii Central Federal Credit Union (FCU) Main branch on King Street where they were presented with a check in the amount of $1,052.00. Last week, a team of ten staff volunteers cooked up some local favorites for co-workers in exchange for a fifteen-dollar donation. The team sold 51 plate lunches, and presented 100% of the proceeds to HUGS, yesterday afternoon.
Morton-Sogi said, “We support families with seriously ill children to provide both emotional and financial support to local families.” Monthly programs include mom’s and dad’s nights, family events and respite activities for HUGS kids and their siblings.
Quite surprised by the outpouring of love, Wereszczynskyj asked how Hawaii Central FCU chose HUGS. Employee group member Kien Bayawa explained it was a group decision. After selecting five non-profit organizations, each member of the group reviewed their missions and a general overview of their activities, and the “majority of the team voted for HUGS.”

Hawaii Central Federal Credit Union Volunteers Raise Funds to Support HUGS

July 26, 2023

Honolulu, Hawaii – In an effort to raise money for the non-profit HUGS, a group of 10 volunteers with Hawaii Central Federal Credit Union (FCU) took to the kitchen to cook up some local favorites for co-workers in exchange for a $15 donation. One Hundred percent of the proceeds will support the HUGS of Hawaii mission to help families with children diagnosed with life-threatening conditions like cancer, respiratory illnesses, diabetes, and stroke.
“Donations will help children and parents with respite,” said group member Kien Bayawa. “The money will also be put towards programs to help families facing an unforeseen crisis or challenge.”
The team sold 51 plates to their coworkers who chowed down on a plate lunch that included Morcon (Filipino-style Meat Loaf), BBQ Chicken, Taegu, Spring Rolls, Rice, Pancit, Mac Salad, Banana Lumpia and a drink. With only 39 employees working at Hawaii Central FCU, the team more than reached their goal of 100% participation.

College student with purple backpack and book walking to campus

Working to Fight Low College Enrollment
with the Student Choice Student Loan Program

Having passed the June 30th deadline to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), late applicants for federal financial aid should be receiving their award letters from colleges and universities and will know whether they will need additional funding through a private student loan program like the Hawaii Central Federal Credit Union (FCU) Student Choice Student Loan Program.

The Student Choice Student Loan Program can help fill funding gaps left after students apply for federal student aid to fund their 4-year undergraduate degree. Before Hawaii Central FCU can help, however, students must have filled out the FAFSA for the year in which they are applying to determine whether there is a gap. Once that process is complete, we are here to help when federal student aid is not enough to make the dream of higher education and lifelong career goals a reality. 

The application process is easy; and once approved, the funding renews yearly over the 4-year term through a revolving line of credit for students who continue to meet loan requirements. Loan requirements include meeting academic requirements with their 4-year educational institution.

“Although we are recovering from the pandemic, it had a huge impact on college enrollment, and we want to be a part of the solution,” says Hawaii Central FCU President Drake Tanabe. “Our keiki are our future, and we need to set them up for success.”

According to the 2021-2022 year-end report by P-20, college enrollment remains below pre-pandemic levels. The report states, “Public-school graduates who enrolled in college was down from a pre-pandemic level of 55% to 51%”.

P-20 is a statewide partnership led by the Executive Office on Early Learning, the Hawai`i State Department of Education, and the University of Hawai`i System that works to strengthen the education pipeline from early childhood through postsecondary education and training with data-informed decision making, advocacy, policy coordination and shared action.

College Bundle

College students away from home and their families may want to consider our College Bundle as well. The College Bundle is a host of products and services designed to keep students connected with mom and dad, making it easy for parents to ensure their child is prepared, financially, to meet day-to-day expenses as well as address emergencies as they arise. Video Banking Specialists are available to get families started with the College Bundle, which includes:

  • Central Savings
  • Central Checking with Debit Card (Apply to see if you qualify)
  • VISA Share Secured Credit Card (Apply to see if you qualify)
  • Shared Branching (5,000+ locations nationwide)
  • NO SURCHARGE FEE – ATM Access (30,000+ATMs nationwide)
  • Online & Mobile Banking with Mobile Check Deposit

Those interested in the College Bundle may also come into one of our branches for more information and to get started in person.

View Recent Press Release

Friends of the Children’s Justice Center

Hawaii Central’s Team Keiki partnered up with Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of Oahu (FCJCO) to help raise money for their Holiday Gift Project. FCJCO aims to wrap gifts for 366 child victims and their siblings. All gifts were chosen specifically for each child, as requested by professionals serving the children. Collectively Hawaii Central staff and our members raised a total amount of $1,155.00. Hawaii Central used $315.56 of the funds to purchase Christmas gifts for 15 keiki and donated the remaining $839.44 to FCJCO.

$1,155

RAISED

15

KEIKI HELPED

$840

DONATION

Friends of the Children’s Justice Center

We support children on Oahu who are victims of sexual abuse, severe physical abuse, sex trafficking, or those who have witnessed a serious crime. We stand with the Children’s Justice Center of Oahu in helping these children heal.
LEARN MORE AT:
fcjcoahu.orgFCJC_logo_lg

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