Hawaii Chapter History
|
The Hawaii Chapter is one year younger than the national March of Dimes. Hawaii volunteers came together in 1939 to educate and raise funds to battle polio. The chapter was originally incorporated as the Honolulu Chapter of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis on January 3, 1939. Serving as chairman from January 1939 through July 1952 was Riley Allen, editor of the Honolulu Star Bulletin.
In the early years, the primary activity of the chapter was in providing assistance for polio victims. Mother's Marches, a neighborhood door to door campaign, were conducted on each island, with the proceeds counted by dedicated volunteers in the basement of Iolani Palace, which was home to Queen Liliuokalani and the only royal palace in the United States. Additionally, the territorial governors participated in president's birthday balls from the 1930's into the 1950's, a precursor to our current Governors' Ball.
From 1963 to 1975 over $300,000 was raised in support of the Hawaii Birth Defects Center at Kauikeolani Children's Hospital. Under the leadership of John Henry Felix, in 1975, the chapter became known as the Chapter of the Pacific and included Guam as part of its territory. Additionally, in the 1970's Hawaii joined the rest of the nation in conducting the first and original walk event, WalkAmerica, to raise funds.
With the national focus on the prevention of birth defects, the Chapter of the Pacific, now known as the Hawaii Chapter, joined with Kapi’olani Hospital in the 1970's to develop Hawaii's first NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). The chapter provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to purchase equipment for the NICU. The chapter also has provided community grants for over thirty years to promote public education and professional education.
Over the last decade the chapter has developed and participated in local coalitions dedicated to maternal and child health issues. The Hawaii Chapter has and will continue to play an important role in the fulfillment of its mission in Hawaii and the nation.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Donating is easy online, by phone or mail / fax.
|
|
|
