Nakupuna Employees at a Project Kupu Wish for Wheels event
HONOLULU, HI – The Nakupuna Companies and Nakupuna Foundation recently wrapped another year of partnership with national nonprofit Wish for Wheels, gifting brand-new bikes and helmets to nearly 770 second graders at 11 schools in communities where Nakupuna employees live and work.
Through hands-on volunteer events, more than 350 Nakupuna employees and family members assembled bikes and shared in the joy of surprising students in Hawaiʻi, Virginia, Maryland, California, Colorado, Florida, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
“A bike offers more than just a ride. It’s a first step toward independence, confidence, and possibility,” said Lindsay Ah Loo, Executive Director of the Nakupuna Foundation. “This initiative represents what we value most: uplifting keiki, creating connections, and investing in community.”
For employees, the effort was just as rewarding. “When we first partnered with Wish for Wheels, it was about finding a meaningful way to give back together,” said Jason Greenawalt, CEO of the Nakupuna Companies. “Years later, it’s become a tradition that strengthens our teams and connects us to our communities. Our employees walk away not just proud of what we’ve given, but inspired by what we’ve shared together.”
In Hawaiʻi alone, the program has delivered more than 900 bikes since 2019, with this year’s distributions reaching students at schools in Mākaha and Nānākuli. Nationally, Nakupuna will have helped give away nearly 1,900 bikes by the end of 2025, underscoring its long-term commitment to heartfelt community impact.
“Working with the Nakupuna Foundation as a Native Hawaiian Organization really shows their deep commitment to their roots, their community, and their employees,” said Brad Appel, Founder of Wish for Wheels. “They’re the kind of partner that sees the potential for impact and leans into it, a real example of how business and community can come together to make a difference.”
Nakupuna’s relationship with Wish for Wheels, which began with a single 2018 event at a company offsite in Denver, has grown into a signature program for Nakupuna, reflecting both the Foundation’s mission to serve Native Hawaiian communities and the Companies’ culture of service and teamwork.
“It’s more than a bike,” noted one employee volunteer. “Every bike is an opportunity for connection with our teammates, our communities, and the joy of giving back.”
The Nakupuna Foundation is a non-profit Native Hawaiian Organization dedicated to advancing the economic and social well-being of the Native Hawaiian community. Wish for Wheels, founded in 2004, has provided more than 75,000 bikes to students across the U.S., using volunteer-powered builds to foster connection and empowerment.
The Nakupuna Foundation hopes to build on the success of its partnership with Wish for Wheels, continuing to create opportunities for connection and impact in the communities it serves.
