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At First Foundation, our volunteers lie at the core of our philanthropic efforts. We celebrate their dedication and hard work each month by sharing their inspiring stories to encourage other volunteers to follow in their footsteps. The Volunteer of the Year award is a unique opportunity for us to recognize the outstanding individuals who have gone above and beyond in serving our community. This year, we are proud to announce our inaugural winner, Emari Hunn.

Emari (pictured far left) has always demonstrated courage and leadership in stepping up for causes that she believes in. She has repelled off a building and hosted fundraisers for the Special Olympics at our Honolulu Branch, and her true team spirit is evident in the stories we hear about the Honolulu team participating in fundraising walks, food pantry days, and other community-building activities. Emari is passionate about teaching financial literacy and has worked with many local organizations such as Building Blocks Hawaii, Habilitat, Junior Achievement, and the Waikiki Community Center. She is also actively involved with the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Teach for America, Executive Women International, and the Chamber of Commerce. Emari mentors girls through Soroptimist International, a global volunteer organization that provides women and girls access to education and training to achieve economic empowerment.

Last spring, Emari worked with Inspire Collective to spearhead a groundbreaking partnership and host a job fair for local community members who were underemployed or unemployed. She organized numerous companies to be on hand to do interviews and meet with potential employment candidates. Nonprofit organizations offered everything from job skills workshops and resume advice to bags filled with professional wardrobe pieces.

Emari, you are our Volunteer of the Year for your outstanding contributions to the local community. Your volunteer dedication is genuinely inspiring. You continue to amaze us, and we cannot even begin to count the number of lives you have touched or the difference you have made in the lives of others.

First Foundation is proud to have Emari on our team! As Volunteer of the Year, First Foundation will award a $250 donation to the charity of Emari's choosing.