Join Waipa's Capital Campaign for a Community Use Kitchen and Poi Mill
Project Description
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After 25 years of dreaming and planning, Waipa Foundation is finally close to building what will be the first dedicated community use incubator kitchen on the island.
The State of Hawaii certified commercial kitchen and poi mill, along with the adjacent Hale Imu, a traditional style cooking house and outdoor gathering space will be located at Waipa, just past Hanalei along Kaua`i’s north shore.
The facilities will be for programming with and use by the public, and with a special focus on the Native Hawaiian, low-income, farming, and small-business communities along the north shore and to Anahola. While other islands have similar-or larger-facilities, there are no other dedicated commercial facilities of this scale on Kaua`i for business incubation, small business, and community use.
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Our communities need this kitchen because:
- 85%-90% of our food is imported from off island, and we need to localize our food system and economy.
- Farmers need a place to process their crops, and reap the benefit of that added value.
- Related programs will provide skills development, training and other opportunities in business, marketing and culinary arts for youth, families and adults.
In these difficult economic times, this type of facility is exactly what our rural communities need!
This project will develop assets, businesses and economic activities that, for generations to come, will enrich and empower our communities economically, socially, and culturally.
The community kitchen, poi mill & hale imu facilities at Waipa will provide a space for our communities to process crops, grow small businesses, perpetuate culture and cultural foods, teach our youth, feed and build community capacity, and to localize existing food systems.
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As of September, 2009, the design and engineering is complete, and building permits are under review by the County of Kaua`i Building Dept. and Waipa Foundation has signed with a contractor who has agreed to do the project at cost. We hope to start construction-pending the completion of permitting-by January 2010.
How you can help?
Donate!
The total cost of this project is $2,344,235. So far $1,396,813 or 60% of the total cost has already been raised. We need to raise $947,422 in the next four months, and are grant-writing madly, so help us out.
Donors & Partners
Thanks to the following partners and donors:
- The Office of Hawaiian Affairs
- Kamehameha Schools
- Peter K. Buckley
- The Center for Ecoliteracy
- The Parks Family Foundation
- The Gunzenhauser-Chapin Fund
- U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services-Administration for Native Americans
- Ching Young Village
- Margaret and Samuel Johnson, in memory of Mrs. Margaret Marvin
- Dr. Melinda Menezes, in honor of Sydney Goding and Faith Nakazawa
Volunteer!
Once the project gets underway, Waipa will be able to use qualified volunteer help and donations of materials, and any savings will decrease the total project cost.
Please contact Stacy Sproat-Beck, Executive Director of Waipa Foundation at s_sproat@hotmail.com or (808) 639-1815 for more information about or to support this important and vibrant project, which will bring tangible benefits to our communities.