NOTE: Effective August 1, 2019, FoodCorps Hawai‘i will no longer be administered by The Kohala Center. Please email Jessica Sobocinski, FoodCorps Hawai‘i Program Manager, for additional information.
FoodCorps Hawai‘i
FoodCorps is a nationwide team of AmeriCorps leaders who connect kids to real food and help them grow up healthy. The Kohala Center has been the state partner in Hawai‘i since the program began here in 2014. Since then, FoodCorps has partnered with 20 schools and nonprofit organizations as service sites to help build, expand, and support school garden and wellness programs across three islands. FoodCorps Hawai‘i service members are emerging leaders who dedicate one year to full-time service in public schools, where they deliver hands-on, ʻāina-based lessons that promote local agricultural traditions and healthy eating habits; collaborate with cafeteria staff to highlight and celebrate locally-sourced and healthy choices offered in the lunch and breakfast lines; and support the entire school community in creating a culture of health by providing wellness opportunities and education for families, teachers, and school staff.
During the 2018-2019 program year, as part of FoodCorps’ strategic plan to refine their direct service model to deliver the highest quality programming possible in the communities they serve, FoodCorps rolled out the Hawai‘i field office. FoodCorps brought on FoodCorps alumna Jess Sobocinski as the first Hawai‘i Program Manager to oversee and develop the partnerships necessary to deliver impactful and meaningful service in schools across the state. For the 2019-2020 school year service members are serving with nine different schools across the Big Island this year; FoodCorps hopes to increase their reach and partner with additional schools and nonprofits across all major islands in the years to come.
Check out the FoodCorps Hawai‘i information page and follow us on Facebook!
2018–2019 FoodCorps Service Members (left to right): Kalena Spinola, Nazareth Velazco, Clyzzel Samson, Kodie Solis-Kalani, Emily Sullivan, Cara Phillips, Sarah Brown, Evan Kamber, Isabella Jorgensen, Seri Niimi-Burch
FoodTalks: Kalu Oyama
FoodCorps Hawai‘i Service Member Kalu Oyama addresses the Seventh Annual Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Austin, Texas. Here she shares how she found herself as a young mom, overweight and disconnected from real food. She explains how that realization led her to a home garden, the school garden, and then to FoodCorps. »Watch now
Blog Post: Carly Wyman
“As a garden educator joyfully growing food with students, it doesn’t always feel food insecure here. We have trees producing food year-round on our campuses and enjoy a growing season that doesn’t really end. However, the dependence on imported food from the Mainland and elsewhere is striking.” »Read more
FoodCorps Alumni: Julia Nemoto
“Looking for an opportunity to grow interesting foods in a beautiful place, learn new skills and connect with a FoodCorps alum? Look no further than Laupāhoehoe, Hawai‘i, where Julia Nemoto, a 2014 FoodCorps alum has started an educational farm and homestead.” »Read more