Hawaiʻi has taken an important step toward a cooler, healthier future with the passage of SCR 129, a resolution affirming support for expanding tree canopy coverage and installing shade trees in urban areas to reduce the impacts of urban heat…
On April 24, 2026, members of the Hawaiʻi Island Healthy Eating + Active Living (HEAL) Coalition brought physical activity and healthy eating education to the health fair at the State Building in Hilo. The coalition’s goals for the event: engage…
In fall 2025, the statewide Healthy Eating + Active Living (HEAL) Coalition identified free mass transit for keiki as a top priority for the 2026 legislative session. The goal is to ensure young people can access schools, after-school programs, work,…
By Bev Brody, Get Fit Kaua‘i The past two months have brought a wave of momentum, creativity, and community energy to Kalena Park and the Healthy Half Mile in the heart of Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i. This work is led through a…
By Bev Brody, Get Fit Kaua‘i Something remarkable happened on Haleko Road in mid-January. Over three days, community members from across the island gathered for the Haleko Road Design Community Charrette—a collaborative process that went beyond corridor planning and centered…
The Maui Nui HEAL Coalition kicked off 2026 with an in-person gathering that brought together partners from across Maui County. In addition to Maui Nui HEAL Coalition members, the meeting welcomed partners from the Maui Coalition for Drug-Free Youth and…
Chef Sandy Barr-Rivera demonstrates knife skills to participants at the orientation for the pilot program. On February 7, the Hawai‘i Extension Master Food Volunteer Program officially launched in Hawai‘i County with an in-person orientation at the Komohana Extension & Research…
Across Oʻahu, quick build safety projects have helped transform school zones and neighborhood streets. From improvements along Farrington Highway in Kalihi to projects near Stevenson Middle School in Makiki and others in Waipahu, these initiatives improve pedestrian safety while building…
Efforts to improve statewide transportation safety and accessibility took center stage in early January, as the Oʻahu Metropolitan Planning Organization (OMPO) convened local leaders, community partners, and experts for a three-day Transportation Tour, Forum, and Legislative briefing. The event began…
Photo from the Statewide HEAL Policy Planning Meeting held on September 23, 2025. The O‘ahu community came together virtually on October 1, 2025, for the O‘ahu Healthy Eating + Active Living (HEAL) Coalition Recruitment Event. Individuals, organizations, and community leaders…
We are pleased to welcome Emma Waters as the new Coordinator for the Hawai‘i County Healthy Eating + Active Living (HEAL) Coalition, where she will lead efforts to advance healthy lifestyles through policy, system, and environmental change. Patti Hatzistavrakis, the…
With its first full year as a coalition complete, the Hawai‘i Island Healthy Living + Active Living (HEAL) Coalition looks to the future by setting strategic priorities and appointing new leadership to guide its work in 2026. In September, coalition…