Mālama i nā hulu kūpuna

Caring for Our Treasured Kūpuna

Local Food Distribution for East Maui Kūpuna

Hāna youth distributing foods to beloved kūpuna

This story was originally published in Issue 01 of Pōʻai Pili, the Kaupō Community Newsletter.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began impacting our East Maui communities in 2020, our staff at Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke knew the importance of prioritizing the health of our beloved kūpuna. Since then, we have focused on distributing fresh, ʻāina-based produce, kalo products, and home-cooked meals to Native Hawaiian kūpuna, ages 65+, throughout East Maui, from Koʻolau to Kaupō.

The produce is grown and harvested at Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke's organic farm in Hāna, Mahele Farm. Each week on a rotating basis, kūpuna can receive produce such as eggplant, a variety of leafy greens, tomato, carrot, banana, and more, depending on the season.

Through Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke's Mālama Hāloa program, kūpuna also receive steamed kalo grown and harvested in Wailua Nui, as well as freshly pounded paʻiʻai made by our program crew.

We are also proud to partner with two chefs in Hāna, Ryan O'Connor and Jon Watson. They prepare home-cooked meals for kūpuna, such as stew, chili, and more using ingredients from Mahele Farm and their own homegrown and raised produce and protein.

Since 2020, Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke has served over 130 East Maui kūpuna.

If you are a Native Hawaiian kupuna, age 65+, or interested in signing up for our food distribution—or if you know a kupuna who might be interested and in need—please contact our kūpuna coordinator, Lehua Park, at lehua@hanabuild.org.

From all of us at Ma Ka Hana Ka ʻIke, e mālama pono kākou!