Mahalo No Ka Mea Ai Farmers Market

Hanalei River Heritage Foundation will establish a culture-based Farmers Market that provides their community with healthy, affordable foods, as well as wrap-around social/human services to empower Native Hawaiian community members who are experiencing housing and food insecurity and/or lack regular and consistent access to health services or traditional healing. Currently, in Kauai, there has been a rise in housing insecurity due to low market availability, causing a drastic increase in median price for homes and an alarmingly high suicide rate that has worsened due to Covid isolation. Hanalei River Heritage Foundation will seek affordable food vendors and six social/human services organizations focusing on housing, health, mental health, food programs, employment, and traditional healing to set up booths at the Farmer’s Market twice a month. Overall, this project focuses on ensuring Native Hawaiians on Kauai are healthy and thriving, with homes for their families and access to fresh foods, health care, and the opportunity to live a more traditional lifestyle.