Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 12, 1 December 2014 — Youth program feeds kūpuna healthy meals in Papakōlea [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Youth program feeds kūpuna healthy meals in Papakōlea

By 'Auli'i Dudoit A grassroots youth-driven afterschool program has recently emerged in PapakSlea to provide '5pio with culinary skills and tools to make a positive impact

on their community. Under the umbrella of 'Uhane PShaku Na Moku O Hawai'i Inc., PapakSlea resident and community advocate Donnie Hoover was approached by PapakSlea youth to facilitate an afterschool program that concentrates on learning culinary skills to help the people of their community. The PapakSlea Youth Program, which is made up of youth ranging from ages 1 1 to 14, has established a Kupuna Mea'ai Program to serve kupuna and their family one healthy meal a month in PapakSlea, Kewalo and Kalawahine. These meals are carefully prepared at the PapakSlea Community Development Corp. certified kitchen and distributed by the youth. In addition to preparing the

meals, youth are taught how certain food crops are cultivated. They also leam basic culinary skills, like meal planning, essential food safety and various cooking methods. As part of the Kupuna Mea'ai Program, PapakSlea youth canvassed their neighborhood on Halloween

day to distribute a wholesome meal of chicken laulau, hapa rice (half brown/white), lomi tomato salad, and mamaki tea to kupuna. While learning how to prepare laulau, the youth also learned about the various healthful benefits of mamaki. Mamaki is a plant

endemic to Hawai'i. The mamaki leaves, when dried, was traditionally made into a tea and consumed for health benefits, including lowering blood pressure. In the three months of their operations, PapakSlea Youth Program has served over 50 meals to

kupuna in their community. They hope to continue gathering support and momentum for their work by fundraising for their food supplies and rental costs. As a fundraising effort, the youth are collaborating with a mamaki farmer in Ka'u (Hawai'i Island) and on O'ahu to utilize the mamaki tea to sell to others in their community. The proceeds from the sale of the Mamaki tea will go directly toward the costs associated with the Kupuna Mea'ai Program. Donnie Hoover sees a bright future for the PapakSlea Youth Program and hopes that this youthdriven model for the Kupuna Mea'ai Program can be replicated in other communities. ¦

In the three months of their operations, Papakolea Youth Program has served over 50 meals to kupuna in their community.

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Youth in the Kupuna Mea'ai Program distributed their first monthly meals to kupuna on Halloween. Donnie Hoover, third from left, leads the program. - Courtesy: Donnie Hoover