North Hawai‘i art gallery donates more than $40,000 to environmental restoration efforts

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KAWAIHAE, Hawai‘i—February 9, 2017—For Waimea residents Gunner and Elli Mench, supporting reforestation efforts on Hawai‘i Island is all about giving back.

As owners of Harbor Gallery in Kawaihae, which curates a Wood Show twice a year largely featuring pieces made with materials grown on Hawai‘i Island, they wanted to support an organization dedicated to protecting and reestablishing native forests. Since 2009 the couple has donated more than $40,000 of their Wood Show proceeds to The Kohala Center to support its Kohala Watershed Partnership (KWP) program.
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FoodCorps recruitment begins

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KAMUELA, Hawai‘i—January 18, 2017—The national FoodCorps program is currently accepting applications from emerging food justice leaders for the 2017–2018 school year. Service member positions are available on Hawai‘i Island and O‘ahu, as well as in communities in 16 states in the continental U.S. and the District of Columbia.
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Two programs set to train new Hawai‘i Island farmers

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KAMUELA, Hawai‘i—January 3, 2017—New and aspiring farmers and ranchers on Hawai‘i Island can choose from two comprehensive courses being launched by The Kohala Center in early 2017.

In addition to its Beginning Farmer-Rancher Development Program, which has graduated more than 120 students since 2013, The Center will host the state’s largest farmer training program, GoFarm Hawai‘i, for the first time on Hawai‘i Island. More information about both programs is available online at kohalacenter.org/farmertraining.

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Hawai‘i farmers and food producers eligible for expanded microloan program

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KAMUELA, Hawai‘i—October 18, 2016—A no-interest loan program originally created for Hawai‘i Island-based farmers and food producers is now available to qualified applicants throughout the Hawaiian Islands, The Kohala Center announced today.

Based on the success of the Hawai‘i Island Food Producers Fund, created by The Center in 2014 with support from the County of Hawai‘i, the new Hawai‘i Food Producers Fund is open to eligible applicants statewide. Expanded with additional support from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture, the new program seeks to increase local food production, reduce Hawai‘i’s dependence on imports, and strengthen the islands’ food-producing business sector through no-interest loans raised on Kiva, the world’s first and largest non-profit micro-lending website.
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Mellon-Hawai‘i Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellows announced

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KAMUELA, Hawai‘i—August 15, 2016—The Kohala Center has selected three Native Hawaiian scholars for the ninth cohort of its Mellon-Hawaiʻi Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowship program. The fellows join 32 Native Hawaiian scholars who have pursued original research and advanced their academic careers through the program.
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Microloans available to support Hawai‘i’s rural businesses

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KAMUELA, Hawai‘i—May 23, 2016—The Kahiau Rural Business Development Microloan Program, administered by The Kohala Center, seeks to support entrepreneurs that strive to make a positive social impact in communities on Hawai‘i Island and Moloka‘i. The program offers low interest microloans and hands on business development services to help entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses, particularly in the arenas of local food production, ecosystem health and renewable energy. In addition to the financial viability of the business, the program considers nonfinancial values—including a business’s impact on community, culture, and nature—in the credit analysis and business development process.
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Report addresses importance of subsistence fishing on Native Hawaiian health

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KAMUELA, Hawai‘i—May 13, 2016—The Kohala Center has released a new report with the results of a recent health impact assessment (HIA) demonstrating the positive health effects of approval of the Mo‘omomi Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area (CBSFA) on Moloka‘i for Native Hawaiians living in the area.
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Love the beach? Volunteer at Kahalu‘u Bay!

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KAMUELA, Hawai‘i—May 10, 2016—The Kohala Center’s Kahalu‘u Bay Education Center is seeking volunteers who love the beach and want to help protect Kahalu‘u Bay and its coral reefs, fish, and turtles.
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Hawai‘i Island students present scientific research projects

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KAMUELA, Hawai‘i—May 5, 2016—How will climate change, deforestation, urban growth, and water quality impact the future of Hawai‘i’s ecosystems?

Teams of students and teachers from several Hawai‘i Island schools presented findings from place-based scientific research projects conducted this school year through The Kohala Center’s Hawai‘i Island Meaningful Environmental Education for Teachers (HI-MEET) program. The environmental education symposium took place on Thursday, May 5, 2016, at the W.M. Keck Observatory headquarters in Waimea.
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The Kohala Center receives $8 million in land gifts

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KAMUELA, Hawai‘i—March 21, 2016—A new program created by The Kohala Center encourages landowners who are contemplating selling their properties, but are concerned about future use, to consider donating them to the Waimea-based nonprofit.
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