September 17, Plastic Free Hawai’i Beach Clean-ups & Bag It film screening

Beach Clean Ups

Saturday, September 17th is the Ocean Conservancy’s 26th International Coastal Clean-up Day. Join Kokua Hawai’i Foundation at one of the three Plastic Free Hawai’i beach clean ups planned around the island:

• Ali’i Beach Park at the Hale’iwa Surf Center, 9:00 am - 11:00 am
• Kailua Beach Park near the Canoe House, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Malaekahana Beach Park at the Kahuku end, 9:00 am - 11:00 am

To volunteer or for more information email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Bag It film screening at Patagonia Haleiwa

Join us for a FREE screening of Bag It at Patagonia Haleiwa
When: Saturday, September 17
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location:66-250 Kamehameha Hwy Haleiwa, HI 96712

Bag It is a touching and often flat-out-funny film about Jeb Berrier, an average American guy, who is admittedly not a “tree hugger.” Jeb makes a pledge to stop using plastic bags, and this simple act gets him thinking about all kinds of plastic as he embarks on a global tour to unravel the complexities of our plastic world. When Jeb’s journey takes a personal twist, we see how our crazy-for-plastic world has finally caught up to us and what we can do about it. Today. Right now.

Register NOW for October School Garden Basics Training!

O’ahu educators and volunteers working directly with school gardens are invited to attend this two-day workshop on October 15 and 22 at the UH Urban Garden Center in Pearl City, presented by the O‘ahu Master Gardeners Association and the Kokua Hawai‘i Foundation.

Six workshop modules will be presented to help you get started or improve and strengthen your pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade school garden program.

The workshop will be taught by ‘AINA IS School Garden Coordinator Lydi Morgan Bernal and other O’ahu Master Gardeners. To learn more and register for the workshop, visit www.kokuahawaiifoundation.org/workshops.

Spread the word with this flyer.

September is Eat Local Month

Kanu Hawaii’s third Eat Local Challenge calls on people across the islands to eat locally grown food in order to build a more sustainable, secure and healthy local food system. Building on the successes of the past two years, the 2011 Eat Local Challenge grows from one week to the entire month of September.

We invite everyone to make a commitment to take action in support of a healthy, sustainable, secure food system. Recipes, guides, and deals from Eat Local restaurant and market partners are available on Kanu’s website to help support challenge commitments. To join the Eat Local Challenge, Kanu Hawai’i suggests making a commitment at www.kanuhawaii.org/eatlocal.

Check out these ideas to integrate the Eat Local Challenge at School from Kanu Hawai’i and Kokua Hawai’i Foundation. Register your class’ Eat Local commitments and Kanu Hawai’i will send you a free packet of seeds!

Eat Local! First Gathering of the O’ahu Farm to School Network: Friday, September 9

Please join us as we celebrate Eat Local Month and launch the O’ahu Farm to School Network!

Waikiki Elementary School
Friday September 9, 2011
3:00 to 5:00 pm
Optional Locally Grown Dinner to Follow

Come for networking, garden tours, seed giveaways, and a talk story session with our special guests Arden Bucklin-Sporer & Rachel Kathleen Pringle, authors of the book “How to Grow a School Garden.” We’ll be focusing on the theme of “Starting & Maintaining a Successful School Garden” in order to improve student wellness, academic achievement, and our local food system. This FREE event is open to all educators and parents interested in school gardens. RSVP here to help us plan for attendance.

Healthy & Waste-Free Lunches Resource Guide

Kokua Hawai’i Foundation’s newest Resource Guide will give you tips for packing Healthy & Waste-Free Lunches for your keiki. See what your Waste-Free Lunch Kit should include and pack it with healthy lunches including foods that are fresh, local and close to the source!  To view or download the Healthy & Waste-Free Lunches Resource Guide click here.

Kokua Hawai’i Foundation Voted Best Green Organization in Hawai’i

Mahalo for voting Kokua Hawai’i Foundation Best Green Organization in the Honolulu Weekly’s Best of Honolulu 2011! We look forward to growing healthy keiki, schools and communities for many years to come.

Kokua School Calendars Available!

Kokua Hawai’i Foundation’s 2011-2012 School Year Calendar is now available.  This edition features vibrant works of student art that follow the theme “Plastic Free Hawai’i.” Facts and tips found throughout the calendar offer helpful ways to minimize our consumption of single-use plastics.  All proceeds from the sale of this calendar go to Kokua programs. Available now at the Kokua Hawai’i Foundation online store. If on O’ahu, you can pick up your copy at the Kokua Hawai’i Foundation booth at September 11 Hale’iwa Farmers’ Market or contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Welcome Ed Kenney to KHF board!

Local chef and restaurant owner Ed Kenney has joined the Kokua Hawai’i Foundation Board of Directors. His restaurants, Town and Downtown, are lively gathering places guided by the mantra, “local first, organic whenever possible, with aloha always” and have received accolades in local and national press. Ed has been a member of the ‘AINA In Schools Steering Committee since 2006 and has participated on ‘AINA IS outreach events at Waikiki and Wai’alae Elementary Schools. We would like to thank Ed, and our entire board, Jack & Kim Johnson, Ruth Holberg, Kawika Kahiapo, Blake McElheny, Laura Moritz, Julie Rene and Bryce Sprecher, for their time, energy, wisdom and guidance.

‘AINA In Schools Kicks off its 6th Year!

 

The 2011- 12 school year is off to a running start! Garden Parties, nutrition and garden docent trainings, as well as “Taste of ‘AINA” orientations for teachers have filled the last several weeks at participating ‘AINA IS schools.

The Fall ‘AINA IS Garden Parties are an opportunity for families, schools, and community members to come together to prepare the school gardens for planting. Mahalo to all the parents, teachers, and friends of school gardens that supported this round of Garden Parties. Community groups included: Louis Vuitton, First Insurance Community Action Team, Waialua High School Surf Club, Hands in Helping Out, Aiea High School Key Club, BYUH, and Tokai University.

Fresh Choice Salad Bars are being served weekly at four ‘AINA IS schools, including ‘Aikahi, Kainalu, Wai’alae, and Sunset Beach Elementary Schools. This month nutrition and garden lessons will begin in the classroom giving students their first taste of ‘AINA.

Help Send our School Garden Coordinator to DC!

‘AINA IS School Garden Coordinator Lydi Morgan Bernal is preparing to travel to Washington, DC and New Mexico as part of the Hawai’i Agricultural Leadership Program. The trip will include visits with Hawai’i's congressional delegation, the White House Kitchen Garden, and USDA national headquarters. In New Mexico, the group will visit Dreaming New Mexico (“Dreaming the Future Can Create the Future”) and many local farms, ranches, and food processing facilities, gaining a better understanding of how one state is developing a clearer and more sustainable vision for their local food system.

Kokua Hawai’i Foundation is fundrasing to pay for Lydi’s tuition and travel costs for the trip. If you would like to make a contribution, click here donate online. You may also send a check to P.O. Box 866, Halei’iwa, HI 96712. Be sure to write “Staff Development” in our online form or on your check’s memo line.