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Full Life founder awarded $125,000

Deann Canuteson

Deann Canuteson with her Robert Wood Johnson Foundation award. (Photos by Baron Sekiya/Hawaii247.com)Â

Karin Stanton/Hawaii247.com Contributing Editor

How much fuller can life be with $125,000?

That’s what Deann Canuteson is finding out. The co-founder and president of Full Life recently was named one of 10 extraordinary Americans, recognized for local innovation in improving health and health care by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Canuteson was awarded the Community Health Leaders Award, which comes with a $20,000 check for her personally and another $105,000 check to benefit a project of her choice.

Full Life is a Big Island nonprofit organization that provides a variety of services to people with intellectual and physical disabilities. Founded in 1999 on the principle of self-determination, it has more than 100 paid staff providing 2,400 hours of service per week to more than 50 participants. It has an annual budget of $3 million.

Full Life helps overburdened families by providing support and helps adults with no families have fuller, safer lives while providing assistance for the individual to live up to their own goals and dreams.  

Full Life President Deann Canuteson talks about the founding of Full Life.

Full Life President Deann Canuteson talks about the founding of Full Life during a fundraiser at Kona Outdoor Circle.

Canuteson said the check is a bonus for the program, although she doesn’t expect it to change the focus.

“We just put our nose to the grindstone and work with them as individuals,” she said. 

She said she is not sure yet how the award might best be put to use, although one idea may be to hire a full-time grant writer to explore other possible sources of income.

J.C. Akana, 34, of Keauhou, has been a Full Life participant for five years, joining in programs from karate and surfing to social-skill building.

His mother Shirley said the entire family has benefited from Full Life’s program and Canuteson’s dedication.

“We’re fortunate to have this program,” she said. “Once they leave school, there’s really nowhere for people to go.”

Albert Akana

Albert Akana

His father, Albert, said he has son blossom since he began working with the Full Life counselors.

“Our son is more well-adjusted. He communicated better,” said his father, Albert. “He’s been involved in all of it, all of the different programs. We did a golf tournament two years ago. He loved it.”

He said he was pleased to see Canuteson and Full Life rewarded for the hard work.

“It’s a well organized program. They may be small but they do a good job,” he said. “And they are finally getting the recognition.”

Full Life provides people with access to the community (for example, restaurants, classes, parks, opportunity for exercise, and social opportunities); personal care; help with learning and completing daily living skills such as shopping, cleaning, cooking; social skills, such as making friends, interacting with people appropriately, e-mail and telephone use; household assistance; a school for adults with developmental disabilities where they have the opportunity to participate in individualized curriculum; and assistance to hard working foster families of people with disabilities.

Eligibility is determined by the state’s Department of Health, Developmental Disabilities Division.

— Find out more:

Full Life: www.fulllifehawaii.org
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: www.rwjf.org

One Response to “Full Life founder awarded $125,000”

  1. Cecilia Royale says:

    Karin,

    Thank you for such a great article, we really appreciate the time you spent to cover our event. Great photos and a great story!

    Mahalo,
    Cecilia Royale

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