Growing Local Food Access in Early Childhood Care
Hawai‘i’s FarmWise Coalition brings together cross-sector stakeholders and policy leaders to expand access to nutritious, locally sourced foods for young children.
This statewide coalition explores approaches to increase local food procurement, expand young children’s access and exposure to healthy food, and promote lifelong healthy habits. Our approach is centered on collaboration, cultural integrity, and systems change that uplifts community-led solutions. Capacity and relationship building brings together diverse stakeholders like:
ECE providers and advocates,
food producers,
food banks,
public health advocates,
and policy leaders.
Key Objectives
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The National Farm to CACFP Institute and Learning Collaborative, is known as FarmWise
Two-year (2024-2026) funding and technical assistance opportunity to 14 state coalitions
Dedicated to advancing nutrition and food access through CACFP (Child and Adult Care Food Program) and Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) activities
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Hawaiʻi’s FARMWISE network includes:
Executive Office on Early Learning
Hawaiʻi Department of Health, Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Division
Hawaiʻi Child Nutrition Programs
Hawaiʻi Food Bank, Hawaiʻi Good Food Alliance, Hawaiʻi Public Health Institute
People Attentive to Children (PATCH), University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s Children’s Healthy Living Center and Center on the Family
Chaminade University, Windward Community College,
and local ECE programs
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ASPHN - Association of State Public Health Nutritionists
CACFP - Child and Adult Care Food Program
ECE - Early Care and Education
F2CACFP - Farm to CACFP
HKHF - Healthy Keiki, Healthy Future
Healthy Keiki Healthy Future
Hawai‘i’s participation in the national FarmWise Collaborative builds on the foundation of HKHF, a statewide effort to improve food access and nutrition for Hawai‘i’s youngest eaters. Learn more.
WHAT WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED
Revived the Healthy Keiki, Healthy Future (HKHF) coalition and convened quarterly meetings.
Delivered First Foods training to Head Start educators on Kauai and ECE providers statewide.
Developed a Kalo to CACFP curriculum and resource guide to connect local agriculture and CACFP reimbursement systems.
Hosted a community listening session to identify barriers and opportunities for ECE providers and meal vendors.
Supported the launch of the GoNAPSACC pilot and the ʻOno for Hawaiʻi map of farms, food hubs, and CACFP sites
Next Steps
Completing the Power of Farm to CACFP advocacy series
Expanding implementation of Kalo to CACFP training while exploring new funding opportunities
Sustaining momentum through ongoing coalition coordination
Advancing systems-level change and ensuring Hawai‘i’s keiki thrive through equitable access to nutritious, locally grown food.
Reach and Impact
2024-2025
Statewide
Statewide engagement from neighbor-island communities and all 4 Hawai`i Counties
40+
Early learning programs
engaged in capacity-building for Farm2CACFP practices
3,400+
Keiki reached through
participating centers and programs
100+
WIC staff engaged statewide
Capacity and relationship building
“More frequent interaction and information-sharing have deepened our understanding of one another’s roles and strengthened coordination across the F2CACFP landscape.”
— FarmWise participant
“The networking and feedback from the listening session helped us turn ideas into action.”
-FarmWise participant
“The most useful aspect was having a clear agenda and effective facilitation—it’s great to have providers and DOH in the same room.”
-FarmWise participant
The contents of this website are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, DNPAO/NCCDPHP/CDC/HHS, or the U.S. government.
This work is supported by the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists’ FARMWISE initiative through the USDA Farm to School Technical Assistance Cooperative Agreement (USDA-FNS-F2S-CTECH-24-AZ1), a grant from the Clementine Fund via the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Food Resilience Fund, and by the Healthy Kids, Healthy Future Technical Assistance Program (HKHF TAP) led by Nemours Children’s Health under CDC cooperative agreement number NU38PW000047-01-01 and 6NU38OT000304-04-02.
Nemours Children's Health Healthy Kids, Healthy Future Technical Assistance Program (HKHF TAP)
