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Lā ʻEhā (Day Four): Countdown to the New Year reflection series!

by By ALM

 It is Lā ʻEhā (Day Four) of our Countdown to the New Year reflection series! In case you missed it, for the last five days of 2023, we will take a moment each day to reflect on some of our proudest and most fulfilling memories of 2023! 

For today’s post, we will be highlighting some of the amazing non-profits that we were able to donate to this past year. Thanks to your support, Kakou Collective was able to donate over $30,000 through our Pilina Program to various organizations in 2023! Hooray! We are so happy to be able to give back to our community in this way! 

Who we donated to:

  • Nā Wahine Toa Foundation
  • Ka ʻAumanu (specifically the non-profit ʻAha Pūnana Leo ʻO Mānoa)
  • Waikaloa Dry Forest Initiative
  • ‘Āina Momona
  • Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii
  • ʻŌhiʻa Love Seed Project
  • Maʻi Movement

Each of these organizations embodies work that we feel represent Kakou Collective’s mission and core values. Click here to learn more about our company’s mission.

 A little about each of these wonderful organizations...

  • Nā Wahine Toa Foundation

This foundation, created by Native Hawaiian mixed martial arts fighter Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, was initially created in 2021 to teach self-defense to Native communities and Native women. However, after the devastation of the Lahaina fires this past year, the foundation raised millions of dollars which went to directly supporting displaced residents. To learn more about the foundation or to donate directly to Nā Wahine Toa, please click here.

  • Ka ʻAumanu

This past year, we specifically donated to the non-profit ʻAha Pūnana Leo ʻO Mānoa. This organization is dedicated to perpetuating the Hawaiian language and culture through education and immersion programs. To learn more about ʻAha Pūnana Leo ʻO Mānoa, please click here.

  • Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative

This year, in honor of Merrie Monarch, we created our Nā Manu ‘Ai Lehua T-shirt. A portion of the proceeds from this shirt went to the Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative, an organization that was formed in 2011 to protect, promote, and restore a native Hawaiian dry forest. They established the Waikōloa Dry Forest Preserve to protect many of the remaining native trees in the region. Today, the organization not only maintains the land, but also offers educational programs on conservation. Click here to learn more about it!

  • ‘Āina Momona

‘Āina Momona is a “community organization dedicated to achieving environmental health and sustainability through restoring social justice and Hawaiian sovereignty.” The organization has four primary program areas: ‘Āina (land and environmental health), ‘Ai (food and agriculture), Wai (water) and Ea (sovereign, resistance and social justice). To learn more about ‘Āina Momona and/or to donate directly to the organization, please click here.

  • Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii

This local nonprofit organization inspires community involvement to mālama (care for and protect) our coastlines. They organize large-scale beach cleanups and provide educational environmental programs. To learn more about Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, please click here.

  • ʻŌhiʻa Love Seed Project

Initiated by the Lyon Arboretum Seed Lab and funded by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the ʻŌhiʻa Love Project focuses on collecting and preserving seeds from ʻŌhiʻa trees around the Hawaiian Islands. Due to Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (ROD), hundreds of thousands of ʻōhiʻa trees on Hawaiʻi Island have been killed. ROD has no known treatment and has the potential to kill ʻōhiʻa trees statewide, which would greatly impact Hawaii’s natural ecosystem. The ʻŌhiʻa Love Seed Project aims to combat the negative effects of ROD by preserving ʻŌhiʻa trees for generations to come. To learn more and/or to donate directly, please click here.

  • Maʻi Movement

This organization’s mission is to provide access to period products and safe and hygienic places to use them for every menstruating individual. Due to the high cost of living here in Hawaii, many people do not have the means to purchase adequate menstrual products. The Ma’i Movement strives to fill that gap through their distribution of care packages. To learn more about this organization and/or to donate to them directly, please click here.

 

That’s all for today, but come back tomorrow for our *last* day in our Countdown to the New Year reflection series!

A hui hou! (Until next time)

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