The "Gifts From Paradise" website is the E-Commerce project of the Pacific Gateway Center (PGC), which was established in 1973 by the Palama Council of Churches, is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit corporation, and a partner agency with the Aloha United Way. The mission of the PGC is "to empower Hawaii's low-income residents, immigrants, and refugees, to achieve self-sufficiency through skill-building and access to opportunities while respecting cultural heritages." Awards and honors include the Hawaii Welfare to Work, SBA Associate Award, New Markets Initiative Award 2006, SBA Community Express Award, and the 2007 SBA Champion of the Year Award.

"Gifts From Paradise" includes popular cultural creations from Hawaii, the Marshall Islands, Laos, Cambodia, Samoa, and Myanmar. Popular items include Hawaii's Best Nut Brittle, Aunty Nani's Hawaiian Cookies, Coffees of Hawaii, Hilo Coffee Mill, home décor items, and various accessories.

The website is designed to assist low-income entrepreneurs expand their market reach, provide greater convenience and customer services to PGC's economic development clients, and move the agency towards greater organizational sustainability. Many of our entrepreneurial clients strive to become self-sufficient and successful but need help in overcoming barriers resulting from their language limitations, cultural differences, and lack of access to capital. Pacific Gateway Center has a strong background in helping such clients hurdle these obstacles by providing assistance in marketing products, reducing overhead marketing expenses, and granting clients technical assistance in their own language as well as access to capital. The "Gifts From Paradise" website gives vendors a unique opportunity to market their products by providing virtual shelf space as well as a means to connect with new customers locally, nationally, and overseas.

We hope you enjoy our site and the various products offered by our vendors. Thank you and mahalo for your support.