Help Hawai'i Regain Food Freedom!

Aloha,

More than almost any place in the world, Hawai'i is in need of food security and food sovereignty.

Reliance on imported foods from vast distances makes the transport and availability of food — let alone healthy, affordable, and seasonal options — uncertain. Before colonization and annexation, traditional Hawaiian agriculture was able to feed the Kingdom from what grew within the islands, yet today’s food system is far removed from those roots.

On Hawai'i Island, the need is particularly urgent. Nearly one in three households statewide is food insecure, and reports indicate that the burden is greatest here, with more than 40% of Hawai'i Island households affected. Native Hawaiian families are disproportionately impacted, and The Food Basket, the island’s food bank, now serves about 60,000 people each month. These numbers highlight both the fragility of our current food system and the importance of building abundance from the land itself.

Our orchards directly respond to this need by increasing the accessibility of fresh, nutrient-dense foods like macadamia, papaya, banana, coconut, cherimoya, durian, and ulu (breadfruit), just to name a few, while also honoring the deep connection between mana, ohana, and aina. We have planted dozens of orchards on Hawai'i Island alone, and our current focus is caring for and maintaining these thriving spaces. In the years ahead, we plan to plant new trees, replace any that have been lost, and expand our reach through new orchard sites and household tree giveaways.

If you are located in Hawai'i County and are interested in hosting an orchard or planting trees in your community, please visit our website to submit an application or email us directly.

Mahalo nui loa for supporting a more secure and abundant future for Hawai'i!