For the love of the community
‘Giving back to the community is part of our Hawaiian heritage’

Honey Bun and Jimmy Haynes were recently honored as Outstanding Philanthropists by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Aloha Chapter as part of its National Philanthropy Day program. -- TONY NOVAK CLIFFORD photo
If generosity creates a ripple effect, then Jimmy and Honey Bun Haynes have made a lot of ripples.
Over the years, the couple has given their time and resources to more worthy causes than they can count. It’s a long list of beneficiaries. Among them: Hospice Maui, Maui Food Bank, Montessori School of Maui, Boys and Girls Clubs of Maui, The Nature Conservancy, Maui Historical Society and Assistance Dogs of Hawaii.
The Hayneses have also served on multiple boards, including the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center, Hawaii Community Foundation and the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce. An ardent proponent of education, Jimmy is also a Seabury Hall trustee and was a member of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents.
The Hayneses attribute their philanthropic nature to their upbringing. “Giving back to the community is part of our Hawaiian heritage,” Jimmy explained. Both he and Honey Bun were born and raised on Oahu, and both attended Punahou School. They were in different grades, and while they may have passed one another in the halls, the couple didn’t meet until they were in college.
After earning a degree in accounting from UH-Manoa, Jimmy landed a job with Union Oil Co. of California and eventually moved to Maui with Honey Bun (he went on to start his own business, Maui Petroleum, and later, Hawaii Petroleum). Fifty years later, they say Oahu will always have a place in their hearts, but Maui is home.
In the five decades they’ve lived on the Valley Isle, the Hayneses have made a big impact. And their efforts have not gone unnoticed.
In 1997, Jimmy was the recipient of the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce’s prestigious O’o Award, which recognizes outstanding Native Hawaiians who have made significant contributions to improve Hawaii’s communities. In 2005, the Maui Chamber of Commerce presented him with the T.S. Shinn Award, its highest honor for community service. In 2016, the Rotary Club of Kahului honored Honey Bun with the Michael H. Lyons II Palaka Award, which recognizes outstanding long-term and substantial volunteer service to Maui County nonprofits. Honey Bun was also named an honorary co-chair of the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s annual Maui Calls fundraiser.
And last month, Jimmy and Honey Bun were honored as the 2019 Outstanding Philanthropists by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Aloha Chapter as part of its National Philanthropy Day program. They were jointly nominated by the Hawaii Community Foundation, Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center and the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. The couple were acknowledged for their myriad contributions to the Maui community during the 2019 National Philanthropy Day conference and awards luncheon at the Sheraton Waikiki on Nov. 13.
Held two days before National Philanthropy Day on Nov. 15, the awards luncheon paid tribute to several individuals and organizations across the state that have made a lasting impact on their communities. Another Maui awardee, Goodfellow Bros. Inc., was honored as this year’s Outstanding Corporation.
National Philanthropy Day was founded in 1986 by California philanthropist Douglas Freeman and formalized by President Ronald Reagan, who signed a proclamation designating Nov. 15 as National Philanthropy Day. Throughout the month of November, AFP chapters nationwide host National Philanthropy Day events to celebrate the spirit of philanthropy and recognize donors, volunteers, corporations and foundations that have demonstrated a commitment to making a difference in their communities.
Honey Bun said she was both humbled and honored to learn that she and Jimmy had been chosen for the award. And the Hayneses say they will continue to give back to the place they love so dearly in the years to come. “This community has been so good to us,” Jimmy said. “So we are good to the community.”