Planting the Seeds of Resilience: 90 Garden Boxes Installed Across Hawai‘i Island

Mahalo nui to the Mālama ʻĀina Foundation for helping to deepen our island’s connection to food sovereignty and sustainability. With their support, 90 garden boxes have been installed at 30 sites across Hawai‘i Island, bringing fresh food production to DOE schools, charter schools, County of Hawai‘i Parks & Recreation facilities, fire stations, and community gathering spaces like the YMCA.

The installations include seedlings, irrigation systems, soil amendments, and Korean Natural Farming (KNF) IMO to enrich the growing process. These boxes empower groups to nurture, grow, and harvest their own food in spaces that serve the broader community.

"If they can produce food, even in a small amount, it makes an impact with food production." – David Fuertes, Executive Director, Kahua Paʻa Mua

This effort is more than just about growing food—it’s about growing resilience. Even a small harvest has the power to shift mindsets, to teach future generations about food security, and to ensure that no matter what challenges come our way, our communities remain strong.

We encourage everyone to mālama these spaces, to engage with the gardens, and to share the knowledge and abundance they bring.

It starts in our own backyards, our own schools, and our own hands.

Ola i ka wai a ka ʻōpua. (There is life in the water from the clouds.)

– ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #2482, Mary Kawena Pukui