Hoʻokuaʻāina builds an Indigenous-led, regenerative food system in Hawaiʻi, centering culture, youth leadership, and ʻāina stewardship to address food insecurity, economic opportunity, and climate resilience. Guided by intergenerational Native Hawaiian leadership, the organization operates the eight-acre Kapalai site and is expanding to the 116-acre Pālāwai Food Hub and Resilience Center, scaling production of kalo, breadfruit, vegetables, and livestock while providing aggregation, processing, and emergency food distribution. Through youth-led operations, workforce development, and partnerships with schools, cultural organizations, and state agencies, Hoʻokuaʻāina connects Indigenous producers to institutional buyers, including DOE school cafeterias, while advancing the “Native Hawaiian Food First” policy to embed equity and cultural values into procurement. By combining education, mentorship, and sustainable agriculture, the organization empowers the next generation of Native Hawaiian food producers and community leaders, restores land and cultural knowledge, and creates a model for resilient, locally rooted food systems across Hawaiʻi.
