Food System Resources Developed with Community Partners

Strong, sustainable food systems are built through shared knowledge and with practical tools. Through a grant with the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, HIPHI partnered with local consultants and community leaders to develop a suite of resources designed to support food systems work across the islands.

Mahalo to our partners and contributors:

• Hawaiʻi Foodbank – Hawaiʻi’s largest hunger relief organization, bringing extensive experience in school pantries, food distribution systems, and community partnerships.
• James Rarrick – An agriculture and community garden leader with decades of experience supporting local food production and public health initiatives across Hawaiʻi.
• Nani Conklin (Mahinahualani LLC) – A food policy strategist who researched approaches to food systems change across 25 state food system plans and helped develop a toolkit for planners and policymakers.

Together, their expertise and collaboration helped shape the following resources:

• Food 4 Keiki School Pantry Toolkit:
  Developed with Hawai‘i Foodbank, this guide supports schools interested in launching or strengthening on-campus food pantries. The toolkit outlines key steps for setup, partnership development, food sourcing, student access, and long-term sustainability.
• Guidebook for Creating a Resident Community Garden:
  Authored by James Rarrick, this step-by-step manual provides guidance on site selection, soil preparation, volunteer coordination, governance structures, and long-term stewardship for community gardens.
• Assessment of Hawaiʻi’s Farm to Food Assistance & Gleaning Programs & Policies
  Full Report + Executive Summary
  Researched by Nani Conklin, this statewide landscape analysis examines existing farm to food assistance efforts, gleaning initiatives, and related policies. The report identifies strengths, gaps, and opportunities to better connect local producers and food access programs.
• Sustainability Plan for Farm to Food Assistance & Gleaning in Hawaiʻi
  Full Report + Executive Summary
  Developed by Nani Conklin, this forward-looking strategy outlines recommendations, funding pathways, partnership models, and policy opportunities to ensure long-term viability of farm to food assistance and gleaning efforts across Hawaiʻi.

These resources are intended to translate community knowledge and research into practical and accessible tools that strengthen programs, inform policy discussions, and support on-the-ground implementation. We welcome feedback as we continue learning and improving together.

Explore the resources and learn more at hiphi.org/food-systems. If you have any questions or would like to get involved, contact Alice Liu, Food Systems Program Manager, at alice@hiphi.org.