April 11, 2016 (West Hawaii Today)—Some brought leafy cuttings in gallon buckets, while others laid out baggies of tiny hot peppers and boxes of roots and tubers. Most brought seeds: squash seeds, pepper seeds, carrot seeds, herb seeds, and beans of all sorts, to name a few.
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January 13, 2016 (West Hawaii Today)—The early morning air at Kawanui Farm was filled with the sweet scent of wood smoke. Gerry Herbert emerged from the house to greet me, dressed warmly. “We have a fire in the fireplace almost every morning in winter,” he said, rubbing his hands together to retain their warmth. He and his wife, Nancy Redfeather, are a pair of excellent gardeners who have created a lovely farm with numerous well-tended gardens and fruit orchards on an acre in Honalo.
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October 11, 2015 (West Hawaii Today)—A proclamation from Gov. David Ige declaring October Farm to School Month was delivered Thursday by his representative Susan Kim at Kona Pacific Public Charter School, kicking off the campaign in West Hawaii. Through a partnership with the USDA and Food Corp, area schools are developing gardens and accompanying curriculum with the goal of cultivating a nation of healthy kids.
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September 29, 2015 (North Hawaii News)—September is National Obesity Awareness Month, bringing to light a pervasive issue throughout North Hawaii. Originally seen more so in adults, childhood obesity now increases the risk for other health problems such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease in children.
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August 22, 2015 (KITV)—For some, big changes are coming to your child’s school lunch. Currently, educators are trying to figure out what lunchtime staples will stay and go.
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August 1, 2015 (Big Island Now)—Holualoa Elementary School will experience a first as it begins its new school year, a part-time school garden educator. With support from the County of Hawai‘i Research & Development Department and the Hickey Family Foundation, The Kohala Center was able to provide the new position at Holualoa Elementary School’s Native Hawaiian learning garden. Additional gardening programs in the West Hawai‘i complex will also be supported during the school year.
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July 20, 2015 (West Hawaii Today)—It’s no surprise that participation in the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program increased after the recession began in 2008. But at the same time, more people have also chosen to use their food stamp benefits outside of the grocery store.
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July 15, 2015 (Maui Now)—The Kohala Center FoodCorps Hawai‘i received a $25,000 Walmart grant to address childhood obesity and food insecurity. Walmart is offering additional grants to nonprofits; the application deadline is Friday, July 17.
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July 13, 2015 (Hawaii Tribune Herald)—Big Island schools are one step closer to getting homegrown meals in their cafeterias. SB 376, a bill creating a statewide farm to school program, was signed into law this week by Gov. David Ige after unanimously passing both legislative chambers in May. The bill also funds a one-year program coordinator position in the Department of Agriculture.
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July 7, 2015 (Honolulu Civil Beat)—Gov. David Ige signed a bill Tuesday that is intended to increase the amount of local food students eat in Hawai‘i’s public school system and boost their understanding of its importance.
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