Another One Bites the Dust
Dec 4th, 2009 by Capsun
Yesterday, I received an email from Josh Levinson, President and CEO of Community Links Hawaii. We’ve gotten to know each other over the past year through our involvement in the Tables for Ten program spearheaded by Na Lei Aloha Foundation, the sponsors of the Bridge of Friendship and the annual Memorial Day lantern floating ceremony. Getting an email from Josh is not uncommon; he often keeps in touch with his vast network of contacts to share updates, including topics for the very popular and very informative First Tuesday @ Downtown, held at Downtown at the HiSam Restaurant. The First Tuesday event became known as much for its excellent conversations and networking as for the excellent snacks!
But with his first four words – “I have sad news” – I knew this was no ordinary email from Josh. Instead of a First Tuesday update, or perhaps an event or cause we could help with during the holidays, he wrote to say that Community Links Hawaii is closing. I was shocked! I truly believed that as an incubator and with their connections and the supportive touch and role they’ve had with so many in our community, that they would ride out the current economic climate.
From Josh:
Dear Capsun,
I have sad news, and I wanted you to hear it from me. Community Links Hawaii is going to be closing at the end of January.We are proud for so many reasons: since opening in 2006, CLH has incubated 34 new charitable projects, managed 71 grants totaling more than $6.2 million, and launched popular initiatives like the monthly First Tuesday @ Downtown events.But CLH is a nonprofit startup and not immune to the economic forces that are making ongoing operations tenuous for so many charitable organizations in Hawaii. We believed 100% in what we were trying to accomplish–but shutting down at this time is the prudent course of action.Our incubated projects allocated a percentage of their revenues to the CLH central office–but the sum of these project allocations was never enough to cover the cost of operating the central office and we have been unable to make up the difference through direct financial assistance to CLH.In this market, at this time, we simply couldn’t generate the financial backing required to support our efforts serving our projects and the broader community.We have given our projects 60 days to make alternate plans for the future operations of their programs. Although CLH could not sustain its central office, the incubated projects’ assets remain intact.As of this past Monday, 4 out of 5 people on our central office staff were terminated, including me, although all of us are continuing to volunteer our time to facilitate the winding down of the organization and to help our incubated projects find new corporate homes.Rather than an end, we see this as a new beginning. CLH was a people-driven enterprise, and while the institution itself will dissolve, the people who drove it remain. We have so much more passion and energy to invest in this community, and we look forward to working with all of you in the future. Our experience at CLH has been an incredible privilege.I’d be happy to hear from you over the next few weeks. Don’t hesitate to call or email.A hui hou,Josh Levinson
President & CEO
Let this serve as a reminder to all of us: if you like what an organization or business is doing, NOW is the time to act to support them. While I don’t expect any of my readers to write a check for a million dollars anytime soon, being able to donate a few dollars every month is a good way to help out. On the same note, if you really like the dishes that a mom and pop restaurant prepares, you better frequent them to help them make it through this slump.
If we don’t, some things we like about our community may not be here when we make it out of this economic mess. And as my friend Sid has covered on his blog, you have to ask yourself, “Is This The Moment?” and if it is, he offers advice on “Being The Change You Wish To See In The World” – so let’s go out and make a difference in our community.
Mahalo!
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Please note: The views expressed here are mine and mine alone. While I am employed by and affiliated with organizations and individuals, permission has neither been asked nor granted to write on the topics discussed here.
I was Kahala Mall on Tuesday — mid-day — to pick up a cable form Radio Shack. I could not find a parking place. Finally, after driving around for several minutes I stopped to wait in the back of the upstairs parking lot while someone got into their car and drove away.
At the mall I wonder, “What recession” and then I read something like this. I am so confused.
I too was shocked at the news, especially given ALL the good work that Community Links Hawaii has been responsible for.
Thanks for the sound advice Capsun that we need to support those non-profit organizations and small businesses that we like. Knowing that my family’s money has got to stretch further, we are more careful about where we are spending our dollars. We’re trying to buy local whenever we can!