Capacity Building

Recently the Center for Disease Control, the U.S. Surgeon General, Kaiser Permanente, and other health care providers, NGOs, and government agencies declared that children's health is a "national crisis." Children today are anticipated to have a shorter lifespan than their parents by 10-20 years, and one in three is expected to develop diabetes in their lifetime if there is not an effective intervention. Children are experiencing adult diseases of hypertension, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and depression that until recently were only seen in adults. According to the Hawai‘i Department of Education Superintendent, in 2010, 55% of Hawaii's children have "special needs," a statistic that includes food insecurity in the household.

Responding to these community needs, the Hawai‘i Farm to School and School Garden Hui formed in 2011 as a statewide coalition of organizations and networks joining with interested partners in government, business, and the University of Hawai‘i to collaborate on capacity building, policy and advocacy, professional development, and research and evaluation.

Our capacity to serve student needs depends on support from a wide coalition of interested organizations, schools, institutions, government, and private health care providers. Supporting our children's health needs today will help create opportunities for each student in Hawai‘i to realize their unique potential. Visit the Hui member Web sites for more information on how you can help.