Common Ground Collective rescues 250,000+ pounds of local produce on Maui

More than 250,000 pounds of fresh, locally grown produce has been harvested and redistributed across Maui through Common Ground Collective’s Foster Farm Program to date. By transforming surplus backyard produce into a critical food source, the program is quickly reshaping the island’s approach to food security, resource management and sustainability.

Rooted in the principles of Hawaiʻi’s traditional Ahupuaʻa system, where land and resources were managed collectively to ensure community-wide sustenance, the Foster Farm Program recognizes that food should not be wasted simply because it grows on privately owned land.

In a landscape where individual land ownership has severed historic food systems, many property owners now find themselves with fruit-bearing trees producing more than they can possibly consume. The Foster Farm Program directly addresses this imbalance by harvesting, redistributing, and reinvesting in Maui’s local food economy.

The initiative not only rescues surplus produce but also educates landowners on sustainable harvesting practices and is now expanding its efforts to include installation and maintenance services, helping landowners cultivate new food sources that can directly benefit their communities.

Participants in the program can choose to donate their excess harvest to food pantries and food banks or sell it to local grocers and restaurants within Common Ground Collective’s network—keeping food in circulation, strengthening local accessibility, and reducing the island’s reliance on imported goods.

“So much fresh food was being left to waste simply because landowners didn’t have the time or resources to harvest it,” said Jennifer Karaca, Founding Executive Director of Common Ground Collective. “Through the Foster Farm Program, we provide the hands-on labor and logistical support needed to collect and distribute this food where it’s needed most—strengthening our local food system in the process.”

Landowners interested in participating in the Foster Farm Program can visit www.commongroundcollective.com or follow @cgcmaui on Instagram for more information.