Hawaiʻi, a once completely self-sufficient system, now imports over 90% of our food according to the Hawai’i Public Health Institute. Despite this massive amount of food coming in, The Hawai’i Food Bank states that 1 in 3 households in Hawai’i are food insecure. But, what is food insecurity? Food insecurity is the lack of access to sufficient food needed to live a healthy life. Hawai’i is over-reliant on outside resources and it is unsustainable. This is an issue that was proven during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that many are still trying to recover from.
As college students, dealing with high living costs, hectic schedules, and tuition payments, getting sufficient daily meals should be the least of your worries. Luckily, there is a Leeward CC Student Life program that provides free food to students on campus.
Hānai iā, which means “to nourish” in Ōlelo Hawaiʻi, is Leeward CC’s food pantry which aims to support students success by offering them access to food. The program, which was started by Student Life Coordinator Lexer Chou in 2018, serves both Leeward CC and Waiʻanae Moku campuses. The food pantry provides mostly non-perishable food products such as canned goods (e.g. Spam & soups) and dry goods (e.g. pasta, instant ramen, & cereal). They receive donations from faculty, staff, and students in the form of physical items as well as monetary donations online.
Students also have access to fresh produce thanks to Hānai iā Leeward’s partnership with Aloha Harvest. Aloha Harvest is a food redistribution organization that collects excess food from donors such as grocery stores and restaurants in order to donate it to recipient agencies that feed the hungry. A delivery truck comes to campus every first and third week of the month with loads of fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables, and bread. In addition to this, Leeward CC’s Sustainable Agriculture program also provides fresh produce that is grown on campus during certain times of the year. Some of their produce is donated to Hānai iāLeeward, however they also have CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) style bags that students can sign up for and pick up at the agriculture class area. In addition to fresh and nonperishable food, the pantry offers other items as well.
Hānai iā Leeward recognizes that students need more than just food to perform their best. For this reason, they provide other living essentials such as toiletries, menstrual products from the Maʻi Movement, and occasionally pet food that is donated from the Hawaiian Humane Society. Lūlani Chung-Kuehu, the student-program director points out that, “Hānai iā Leeward is not just a food pantry, but a basic student needs resource.” Although the pantry is usually stocked with a range of essentials, if you find the need for something that is not available at the time, you can request the item on their website. For student parents who are expecting or have young children, another resource to check out in the Lounge is Leeward Hui ʻOhana, which provides free baby and childcare necessities such as baby wipes, diapers, and clothing.
How do I sign up for Hānai iā Leeward?
First off, you do not need to be food insecure or on any type of government assistance program in order to use this school service. Sometimes college students just get a little hungry in between classes and that’s understandable. You will not be turned away, as there are no strict eligibility requirements to sign up. However, you will need to fill out a form that requires some basic information to help Hanai ia know who they are serving and how they can help.
The process is simple and discrete. Hānai iā Leeward sends out a newsletter announcement through email, which has a Google sign-up form for every upcoming semester including summer breaks. If you’re new and you haven’t signed up before, just stop by or call Hānai iā Leeward or the Student Life Office for help and make sure that you have your Student I.D. on hand! The food pantry is located in the Student Lounge on the second floor of the CC building, while the Waianae Moku location is in room number 121. A student employee will be there to assist you as you fill up whatever fits in your tote bag which is provided by Hānai iā Leeward to all new members.
Leeward CC alumni Jesse Mikasobe Kealiinohomoku is someone who saw the effects of food insecurity in his community in Waiʻanae and is fighting to create a more sustainable food system for Hawaiʻi.
Growing up on the Leeward Coast of Oʻahu, a place with some of the leading statistics of food insecurity rates, Kealiinohomoku had always known about the issue. However, education helped him to further understand how deeply intricate the roots and effects of this broken food system is. Motivated to learn more and create change, Mikasobe Kealiinohomoku graduated from Leeward CC, then transferred to UH West Oʻahu where he received his B.S. in Sustainable Food Systems and Political Science in 2022.
Mikasobe Kealiinohomoku is currently an Indigenous Food Systems Manager at the Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center. He and his team support the building and expansion of small scale food producers throughout the west side from Nanakuli to Makaha and Waimanalo, which are spaces that hold the largest native Hawaiian populations (Mikasobe Kealiinohomoku). Through the growing of food and community, their goal is to build resiliency and autonomy in the local food system. Mikasobe Kealiinohomoku is also a vital member of Niu Now, which is a cultural agroforestry movement that is growing coconut groves in order to reaffirm the importance of niu (coconut) as a valuable cultural and food resource, rather than an ornamental, liability plant.
Being able to serve and feed his community goes back to his family’s form of love which was expressed through food. “To feed my community, that is the love that I share. We are doing that through both education and the growing of food that stays in our community and sustains itself”, Mikasobe Kealiinohomoku says. Educating others and creating more sustainable models for growing food in Hawaiʻi can help to heal the food system and combat the food insecurity that many residents face. Mikasobe Kealiinohomoku has hopes for the future that more young leaders will help to uplift their ahupuaʻa’s in creating a more resilient food system where the community has the power to decide how, what, and where their food comes from.
Food insecurity is a long and complex battle, however, there are excellent programs and leaders in our community who truly want to make change for the better. Whether you are coming from a household that is struggling to afford food, or you are simply a hungry college student, there is no shame in reaching out to Leeward’s food pantry. We function best when our bodies are well nourished. Hānai iā Leeward is funded by student fees, meaning that this is a resource supported by you, for you and your fellow classmates to take advantage of. Your contributions are helping to keep the aloha in Leeward Community College.
Hānai iā Leeward Hours:
Monday-Friday
Contact Info:
Email: hanaiia@hawaii.edu
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