Serving Visitors to Hawaii since 1997

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Our Core Values

At VASH, we hold ourselves to the highest standards of customer service and care. Our core values are to go the extra mile so that all visitors to Hawaii feel important and receive the best service they can within our capacity. We are also here to support their family and friends back home if needed.

What Makes Us Unique

What makes our organization special is that we are incredibly unique. We have assisted thousands of visitors during their time of need over the years. Not many other states provide the services that we do for visitors to our islands. For example, we have volunteers who do hospital visits and specialize in helping travelers in distress. Many visitors are surprised and impressed that an organization such as ours exists. They are grateful for the support they receive and return to Hawaii as a result of the Aloha shown to them.

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Our Mission

Our mission is to provide the best quality service to visitors in need while they are in Hawaii. We strive to ensure that they have the best possible experience while they are here, regardless of what hardships they may have faced.

Our Services

VASH offers a wide range of services to visitors in need. We provide assistance to those who have experienced a crime or other adversity in Hawaii, as well as social services and products that our competition does not provide.

Our History

VASH was founded in 1997 by the Rotary Club of Honolulu to fill a void in the hospitality industry on Oahu and the neighbor islands. Through community partnerships in Hawaii with agencies, businesses, and foundations, VASH has grown into a strong organization dedicated to sharing aloha with all in need.

Contact Us

If you would like more information about VASH, or if you or someone you know needs assistance while visiting Hawaii, please don’t hesitate to contact us for help. Our team of dedicated volunteers is here to provide support and the essence of the Aloha Spirit.

Our Team

Administration

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President and CEO
– Jessica Lani Rich

Visitor Assistance Coordinator – Lisa Fallau

Case Manager – Petra Panfiglio

Case Coordinator – Verna Landford-Bright

Japanese-Speaking Case Manager – Raymond Rodney Jr.

Communications Manager – Casey Overley

Accounting Specialist – KenLyn Lum Yee

Security Coordinator – Gary Hendrickson

Board Of directors

Chair – Jerome Andrade

Retired Funeral Director

Vice-Chair – Rick Egged

President

Waikiki Improvement Association

Vice-Chair – Cynthia Rankin

Regional Director

Corporate Communications Hilton Hawaii

Secretary – Jared Higashi

Vice President of Government & Community Affairs

Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association

Treasurer – Brian Dunkel

Owner

eCorporateCollege.com, Inc.

Directors

Jerry Dolak, CPP

HHVISA President;

Director of Safety and Security

Hilton Hawaiian Village

Cynthia M. Flating

Former Mission Support Branch Chief

Area Port of Honolulu, Customs and Border Protection

Anthony Gambino

President

Nashimoto & Associates, LLC

Frank Haas

Principal

Marketing Management, Inc.

Thomas W. Matthews

President

TradeWest, Inc.

Angela Murphy

Vice President Sales- The Americas

Outrigger Hospitality Group

Jerry Pupillo

Director of Business Development  and General Manager

The LineUp at Wai Kai

Kathy Sakamoto

Retail Managing Director

Retired

Tom Wogan

Former District Sales Manager
Delta Air Lines

History of VASH

In late 1995, the Rotary Club of Honolulu became aware that Hawaii had no Travelers Aid or similar organization dedicated to ensuring victims of crime and other adversities were receiving appropriate follow-up assistance and Aloha. Recognizing the negative impact that crime against visitors was having on our tourism industry, the Rotary Club of Honolulu, with the cooperation of the Honolulu Police Department, established a volunteer Visitor Aloha Committee.

The Rotary Club of Honolulu Board of Directors unanimously voted to provide $10,000.00 in seed money and other support necessary for the establishment of the Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii, also known as VASH. The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii was recognized as exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code in August 1998.

In the beginning, VASH was a statewide organization based in Honolulu. It later branched out with individual chapters located on Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai.
(Revised at VASH Board Meeting, August 27, 2013)

Summary

While Hawai‘i still remains among one of the safest tourist destinations in the world, and our police and prosecutors do a fantastic job within the scope of available resources, we, unfortunately, will never prevent all crimes against visitors. We must therefore ensure that each and every traumatized visitor receives timely assistance and experiences the true aloha spirit of our people.

VASH has demonstrated that committed and well-trained volunteers offer the most efficient and cost-effective way of delivering that service. The citizens of Hawai‘i are well aware of the enormous negative impact that crime is having on our visitor industry, our state economy, and the future of our children and grandchildren. We are not only concerned but want something done about it. People are willing, given the opportunity, to volunteer to reach out to these victims with caring aloha. VASH provides them with that opportunity. It is simply a matter of aloha, which is, after all, what most visitors come to Hawai‘i for in the first place. We, the people, our government, and visitor industry leaders cannot afford to disappoint them.

Sponsors

The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai’i is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit volunteer organization that is dedicated to sharing the Aloha Spirit with visitors. The majority of its funding comes from the Hawai’i Tourism Authority.

Hawaii Tourism Authority