Hawaii Business Magazine
Care that Keeps on Giving
Kaiser Permanente impacts the health and well-being of the community at large by investing in nonprofits and organizations across the state.
August 2, 2021
The COVID-19 Vaccine Challenge
In the remote Hawaiʻi Island district of Kaʻū, the resources to vaccinate the entire community against COVID-19 were limited. Its community members rightfully became concerned.
“Hilo and Kona are far away for people,” says Jessanie “Auntie Jessie” Marques, executive director of Ka‘u Rural Health, a nonprofit that focuses on health and wellness with programs in health, education, research and economic sustainability.
“We got involved because the community came to us and said, ‘Auntie, who’s going to help us?’” Marques continues. “That’s how we started to coordinate and facilitate this. If Kaiser Permanente hadn’t come, we wouldn’t have it as readily available to our community.”