WAIPA FOUNDATION

WAIPA SERVED OVER 100 CHILDREN AND YOUTH FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN PROGRAMS ENRICHMENT, COMMUNITY BUILDING, LIFE AND WORK SKILLS, ACADEMICS AND HAWAIIAN CULTURAL VALUES AND PRACTICE. IN ADDITION WAIPA SERVED OVER 1,000 LEARNERS FROM KAUA`I, HAWAII AND BEYOND ON EDUCATIONAL VISITS TO LEARN ABOUT HAWAIIAN CULTURE, VALUES AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENT AND FOOD. WAIPA MANAGED AND ACTIVELY MAINTAINED 50+ ACRES OF LAND, RESOURCES, AND FACILITIES AT WAIPA AS LEARNING SITES FOR PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND TO PROVIDE FOOD AND MATERIALS FOR WAIPA'S COMMUNITY AND PROGRAMS. WAIPA SERVED AS A FOOD HUB GROWING, PRODUCING, AND DISTRIBUTING OVER 35,000 LBS OF POI AND 5,000LBS OF FRESH PRODUCE DURING THE YEAR PLUS HEALTHY MEALS AND OTHER FOOD ITEMS TO COMMUNITY. WAIPA ALSO SUPPORTS COMMUNITY BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY PROVIDING AN INCUBATOR KITCHEN TO SMALL FOOD BUSINESSES AND HOSTING A WEEKLY FARMERS MARKET, ANNUAL FOOD FESTIVAL AND CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR. OVER 75 LOCAL FARMERS, CRAFTERS AND VENDORS WERE SERVED THROUGH THESE EVENTS. THE 2023 YEAR WAS ANOTHER BUSY AND AMAZING ONE FOR WAIPA.ANOTHER MAJOR ACTIVITY INCLUDED GROWING FRESH PRODUCE IN OUR GARDENS, AND PROCESSING POI IN OUR KITCHEN, BOTH OF WHICH ARE DISTRIBUTED WEEKLY AT AFFORDABLE PRICES (0%60% OF RETAIL) TO SUPPORT THE FOOD SUSTAINABILITY OF WAIPA'S COMMUNITIES. OVER 5,000 LBS OF FRESH PRODUCE WAS GROWN, AND OVER 35,000 LBS OF POI PROCESSED DURING THIS YEAR. PREPARED FOOD ITEMS INCLUDING BAKED GOODS AND SAVORY ENTREES CONTINUE TO BE SOLD THROUGH ITS SELF SERVE HONOR SYSTEM RETAIL SPACE ONSITE. ALL PRODUCTS CONTAIN LOCAL AND WAIPA INGREDIENTS. BAKED GOODS ARE PRICED AT RETAIL AND SAVORY ENTREES ARE PRICED AT 60% OF RETAIL AS SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. SAVORY ITEMS PROVIDE LOCAL COMMUNITIES WITH HEALTHY, LOCAL, AFFORDABLE PREPARED FOODS. MANAGING AND MAINTAINING THE LAND, RESOURCES, AND FACILITIES AT WAIPA BOTH TO INCREASE THEIR HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY, AND AS LEARNING SITES, INCLUDING STREAM MONITORING AND RESTORATION WHICH HAS INCREASED THE HEALTH OF WAIPA STREAM, AS INDICATED BY REGULAR MONITORING; WAIPA ALSO MANAGES FARMS, GARDENS, GREENHOUSE, AND TARO FIELDS AND THEIR RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE; COASTAL HABITATS, CAMPSITES, AND A FISHPOND; LOWLAND NATIVE FOREST RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT; OPEN SPACES FOR COMMUNITY FESTIVALS, GATHERINGS AND EVENTS; FACILITIES FOR PROGRAM USE, TO MEET, GATHER, PREPARE FOOD, AND ADMINISTRATIVE USE FOR MANAGEMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS PROGRAMS. IN TOTAL OVER 50 ACRES OF LEARNING SITES AND FARM/GARDEN AREAS, ALONG WITH THEIR ACCESS AND WATER AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE WERE MAINTAINED BY WAIPA STAFF TEAM.