In humble gratitude to the Creator, we established Hawaii Ocean Pool Emergency Safety Foundation (HOPES) as a faith-led 508(c)(1)(A) ministry devoted to the protection of human life in Hawaiʻi’s ocean, pools, and coastal environments. We receive every life as a sacred trust and bind ourselves—before God and neighbor—to prevent harm, respond in times of emergency, and equip our communities with the knowledge and skills necessary to safely enjoy the waters that surround us.

With this Covenant, we affirm that compassion, integrity, preparedness, and wise stewardship shall govern all that we do.

PURPOSE & CALLING

• Protect human life through ocean and water safety education, prevention, and emergency preparedness.

• Provide life-saving training, resources, and support to individuals, families, schools, religious organizations, and businesses.

• Reduce preventable drownings and injuries through awareness, skill-building, and coordinated response efforts.

• Support and strengthen Hawaiʻi’s public safety and ocean safety workforce through education and opportunity.

SACRED STEWARDSHIP

• Treat every person served as a life of inherent dignity, value, and worth.

• Act with humility, responsibility, and respect when engaging in safety training, emergency response, and public outreach.

• Use donated resources faithfully and prudently to maximize life-saving impact.

• Uphold transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct in all programs and partnerships.

• Deliver training and education that is inclusive, culturally respectful, and appropriate to Hawaiʻi’s unique ocean conditions.

• Ensure programs are accessible and responsive to community needs, especially for youth and vulnerable populations.

• Honor donor intent and public trust through responsible governance and clear documentation.

• Maintain a long-term commitment to those we serve, recognizing prevention and preparedness as ongoing responsibilities.

HEALTH, SAFETY & PREPAREDNESS

• Follow recognized best practices in water safety, emergency response, CPR, first aid, and rescue awareness.

• Maintain written emergency, disaster, and incident response plans; train staff and volunteers accordingly.

• Promote situational awareness, hazard recognition, and personal responsibility in ocean, pool, and coastal environments.

• Coordinate with lifeguards, first responders, and public agencies to support safe outcomes.

VOLUNTEERS, STAFF & TRAINING

• Cultivate a culture of respect, service, accountability, and compassion.

• Provide training that emphasizes safety, professionalism, and ethical conduct.

• Prohibit reckless behavior, negligence, or misuse of authority; address concerns promptly and responsibly.

• Encourage continual learning and readiness, as well as career guidance, mentorship and scholarship opportunities among all who serve through HOPES.

COMMUNITY & EDUCATION

• Promote water safety awareness, emergency preparedness, and ocean respect within the community.

• Support families, schools, and organizations with education and resources that reduce risk and save lives.

• Build partnerships with lifeguards, public safety agencies, educators, cultural practitioners, and aligned ministries.

• Encourage careers in public safety and ocean safety through mentorship and scholarship opportunities.

PRAYER & BLESSING

We ask the Creator’s blessing upon every life we seek to protect, every community we serve, and every hand that answers the call to help. May wisdom guide our teaching, courage strengthen our response, truth govern our records, and mercy crown our work—one life safeguarded at a time.

CREED

• We believe every human life is entrusted by the Creator and worthy of protection, dignity, and care, without distinction or prejudice.

• We believe service to humanity is a sacred calling, and that prevention, education, and preparedness are moral responsibilities that save lives and strengthen communities.

• We believe stewardship requires integrity, transparency, justice, and the faithful use of resources entrusted to us for the common good.

• We believe communities are strengthened through unity, partnership, mutual respect, and shared responsibility, and that understanding and cooperation overcome division.

• We believe in courage guided by conscience, leadership rooted in compassion, and joyful service that multiplies hope—one life safeguarded at a time.