June 20, 2008 - Friends of Hawaii Charities, Inc. today celebrated its 10th anniversary by distributing a record $1,097,000 in grants today to more than 140 Hawaii not-for-profit organizations. These charities primarily serve Hawaii's children, women, elderly, and those in need. 

The funds were primarily raised through the Friends' flagship fund-raising event - the Sony Open in Hawaii PGA TOUR golf tournament held annually at Waialae Country Club in January.  The tournament also celebrated its 10th anniversary this year.   Its charity partner, The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc. provides matching funds for each dollar raised by the Friends at the Sony Open.  Other fund-raising events include the Champions Tour Turtle Bay Championship, the LPGA Tour's SBS OPEN at Turtle Bay and Fields Open tournaments.    The Friends Club, an annual membership program, that supports the Friends of Hawaii Charities annual "Drive to $Million" also contributed to today's charity distributions.

"We are grateful for the commitment of our title sponsor Sony Corporation, our charity partner The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc., sponsors and volunteers," said Anthony R. Guerrero, Jr., President, Friends of Hawaii Charities.  "Through their support, this is the fourth consecutive year that we have met or exceeded our $1 million charity distributions goal.  We are proud to contribute to the success of Hawaii's grass-roots community programs as well as larger established programs."

The 2009 Sony Open in Hawaii PGA TOUR tournament is scheduled January 12 - 18 at Waialae Country Club.  The one-week tournament showcases Hawaii to a global audience, reaching more than 450 million homes in over 200 countries.  For more information about the Sony Open, please visit www.sonyopeninhawaii.com.

Friends of Hawaii Charities, a federal 501 (c) 3 public charity is an all volunteer organization, incorporated in 1998 to benefit not-for-profit organizations serving Hawaii's children, youth, women and needy.  Over the past ten years, Friends of Hawaii Charities, Inc., together with Sony Open charity partner, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc., has raised and distributed more than $8,000,000 to over 250 not-for-profit organizations. For more information, please call (808) 792-9339 or visit www.friendsofhawaii.org

ADE (Alliance for Drama Education)
Ahahui Siwila Hawaii O Kapolei
Ala Kuola
Aloha Harvest
Aloha Medical Mission
Alzheimer's Association - Aloha Chapter
American Cancer Society Hawaii Pacific, Inc.
American Diabetes Association
American Liver Foundation, Hawaii Chapter
American Lung Association of Hawaii
American Red Cross, Hawaii State Chapter
Arc of Kona
ASSETS School
Assistive Technology Resources Centers of Hawaii
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu
Bishop Museum
Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii
Breakthroughs For Youth
Castle Medical Center
Catholic Charities Hawai'i
Central Oahu Youth Services Association
Child and Family Service
The Children's Alliance of Hawaii, Inc.
Children's Discovery Center
Communities in Schools - Hi Project of Volunteer Resource Center - Hawaii
CrimeStoppers Honolulu, Inc.
Divine Faith Ministries
East Hawaii Cultural Council
Easter Seals Hawaii
East-West Center
Family Ministries Center, Inc.
Family Promise of Hawaii
First Book - Molokai
The First Tee of Oahu
Foster Family Programs of Hawaii
Frank DeLima's Student Enrichment Program
Friends of Koolau Clubhouse
Friends of the Missing Child Center-Hawaii
Girl Scouts of Hawai'i
Hale Kipa
Hale Na'au Pono
Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation
Hawaii Fi-do
Hawaii Island Adult Care, Inc.
Hawaii Island HIV/AIDS Foundation
Hawaii Speed and Quickness
Hawaii State Junior Golf Association
Hawaii State Women's Golf Foundation
Hawaiian Island Twisters Gymnastics
Helping Hands Hawaii
Hina Mauka
HISLEA
Hoa'Aina O Makaha
Honolulu Academy of Arts
Honolulu Armed Services YMCA
Honolulu Festival Foundation
Honolulu Symphony
Honolulu Theatre for Youth
Hopeful Hearts & Giving Hands
HUGS
Hula Preservation Society
I Ola Lahui, Inc.
Imua Family Services
Institute for Human Services, Inc.
James Campbell High School
Japan-America Society of Hawaii
Junior Achievement Hawaii
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Ka Hale O Na Keiki
Ka'ala Farm, Inc.
Kahilu Theatre Foundation
Kahuku High and Intermediate
Kalihi YMCA
KAMP Hawaii Inc.
Kapi'olani Health Foundation
Kauai Food Bank, Inc.
Kauai Hospice
Kea`au Youth Business Center
Keiki O Ka Aina Family Learning Centers
Kick Start Karate
Kokua Counseling Services
Kokua Kalihi Valley
Ko'olauloa Community Health and Wellness Center Inc.
Ko'olauloa Educational Alliance Corp.
Korean American Foundation Hawaii
Kuakini Health System
Lanakila Rehabilitation Center
Lighthouse Outreach Center AOG
Loving Service Foundation
Making Dreams Come True, Valley of Rainbows
Marimed Foundation
Mental Health Kokua
Mid-Pacific Institute
Na Kamalei-K.E.E.P.
Na Loio
Na Pua Aloha
NAMI Hawaii
Natural Healing Research Foundation
North Shore Career Training Corp.
North Shore Youth Athletic Foundation
Oahu South Foursquare dba New Hope Christian Fellowship
Ola'a Community Center
Once a Month Church
Operation Homefront of Hawaii, Inc.
ORI (Opportunities for the Retarded, Inc.)
ORI Anuenue Hale, Inc.
Pacific and Asian Affairs Council
Pacific Aviation Museum - Pearl Harbor
Pacific Health Ministry
Pacific Region Baseball, Inc.
PATCH - People Attentive to Children
Peanut Butter Ministry
The Private Sector, Inc.
Qi Center Kauai
Rainbows
Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific Foundation
Rell Sunn Educational Fund, Inc.
River of Life Mission
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii
Sacred Hearts Academy
Salvation Army Ray Kroc Center
SECOH (Special Education Center of Hawaii)
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Honolulu District Council
Special Olympics Hawaii
Spirit of Aloha Outreaches Inc.
Sunset Beach Elementary School
Susannah Wesley community Center
United States Veterans Initiative - Hawaii
Variety School of Hawaii
Victory `Ohana Prison Fellowship, Inc.
Volcano Art Center
Waialua High School Foundation
Waianae Coast Comprehensive Center
Waikiki Community Center
Waikiki Health Center
Waimanalo Health Center
Windward Baptist Church
YMCA Camp H.R. Erdman
. . . and  many more Hawaii charities