HONOLULU – In the spirit of the holiday season, First Insurance Company of Hawaii (FICOH) collaborated with Aiea Collision and UNIBODY Autotech Collision Center to gift refurbished vehicles to two deserving families identified by Helping Hands Hawaiʻi’s Adopt a Family Program.
The joyous recipients and their families received their cars today at the UNIBODY Center during a celebration with representatives from FICOH, Helping Hands Hawaiʻi, the auto body shops and well-wishers. The 2013 Hyundai Sonata gifted to Jamie R. was refurbished by UNIBODY Autotech and the 2014 Nissan Sentra donated to an anonymous recipient was refurbished by Aiea Collision Center.
Jamie is a single mother with four children who, in her application to the Helping Hands Hawaiʻi program, said, “I would consider it a holiday miracle to get a car for me and my four children to get to the store, school and doctor’s appointments.”
The new owner of the Nissan Sentra is a single mother who recently completed a certified nursing assistant program and needs a car to drop her toddler off at preschool and get to work on time.
FICOH donated the salvaged cars and auto parts, Aiea Collision and UNIBODY Autotech Collision Center donated their labor, New City Nissan, Windward Hyundai and NAPA Hawaii donated supplies and auto parts, and PPG Paints donated materials.
“This is the sixth year First Insurance has gifted refurbished vehicles to local families and it is always a heartwarming moment when we hand the keys to the new owners,” said Mark Yoda, FICOH president and CEO. “We are grateful for our partners that provided labor, parts and paint to refurbish the cars. Providing much-needed transportation to these families will help transform their lives, and the lives of their children.”
“We appreciate FICOH and their partners for the incredible generosity and compassion they show to our families each and every year,” said Kristine Garabiles, program manager, Helping Hands Hawaiʻi. “Being able to afford reliable transportation is hard for some ‘ohana because all their funds are tied to basic necessities, like food and housing. For single mothers like these, it’s so important to be accessible to your children in case of emergencies and having a working vehicle will offer them some reassurance and independence. It’ll change their lives!”
About First Insurance Company of Hawaii
Founded in 1911, First Insurance Company of Hawaii, Ltd. is the oldest and largest property and casualty insurer domiciled in Hawaii, with assets of $666.4 million, liabilities of $399.5 million, and policyholders’ surplus of $266.8 million as of December 31, 2020.
First Insurance, a member of the Tokio Marine North America (TMNA) group of companies, enjoys an “A+” rating from A.M. Best Co. Proud of its broadly experienced, service-oriented staff, First Insurance employs 300 insurance professionals and distributes its products through 26 independent general agencies. First Insurance was awarded the American Heart Association’s Workplace Health Gold Achievement for 2020. In 2021, First Insurance was named Hawaii’s number one Best Places to Work in the “large company” category by Hawaii Business magazine.
First Insurance supports many local organizations through monetary donations made at the corporate level, by its associates and the First Insurance Charitable Foundation. Its charitable giving focuses on four areas: 1) education and career development; 2) family, social services and health care; 3) environment and sustainability; and 4) civic, culture and the arts.