Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 8, 1 August 2020 — OHA Partners With HCF to Support Community-Based Food Security Efforts [ARTICLE]

OHA Partners With HCF to Support Community-Based Food Security Efforts

By Office of Hawaiian Affairs Staff The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) has awarded the Hawai'i Community Foundation (HCF) a grant of $830,000 to provide small grants to communitybased food security efforts statewide through its $3-million Emergency Relief Package. The grant supports HCF's Strong Funds for eaeh county, including Kaua'i Strong, O'ahu Strong, Maui County Strong, and Hawai'i Island Strong, created by HCF to build community resilience through providing disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

The program will support efforts rooted in aloha 'āina, sustainability and agriculture to address COVID-19 related food needs. The program will fund a range of efforts that peipetuate cultural practices while providing or distributing food or agricultural products that benefit and sustain Native Hawaiians today and for the long-term. "HCF is excited to partner with OHA to support eom-munity-based food security efforts to help feed and sustain people while perpetuating Native Hawaiian practices," said Mieah Kāne, CEO and President of HCF. Over 60 community-based organizations supporting food security efforts in eaeh of the four counties were invited to

apply for funding through HCF, and grant awardees were selected in late July. "We need to make sure that our 'ohana ean put food on the table during this pandemic," said OHA CEO Dr. Sylvia Hussey. "But for many of our communities, the crisis is making it hard to access food at affordable prices. So we are working with Hawai'i Community Foundation to support locally sourced food from area farmers and producers, and to help individuals who rely on fishing and other subsistence practices to mālama their families. Our hope is to help reinforce the resiliency and strength of our communities." ■