Family-friendly event at UH Maui College to showcase healing power of gardens this Saturday

The Hawai’i Farm to School Hui and Grow Some Good have announced a special family-friendly event taking place at the UH Maui College Kauluwehi Biocultural Garden on Saturday, March 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event celebrates gardens as vital sources of healing and nourishment for Maui’s community.

Guests are invited to walk through the Kauluwehi Biocultural Garden, enjoy an opening performance by the singers of Aloha Keiki Choir from Pōmaʻikai Elementary, and learn about the native plants that thrive in Maui’s rich soil. They can also join workshops where they discover the art of plant propagation, sample creations at Chef Hui‘s cooking demonstrations, and learn about mushroom identification. In addition, there will be a booth for gratitude card making using plants, free activities, recipe book giveaways and more.

The Gardens for Resilience and Climate Education (GRaCE) initiative aims to equip educators and community members with tools to navigate traumatic events through the use of gardens. GRaCE is planting the seeds of resilience and self-sufficiency in Maui’s youth and families by integrating trauma-informed practices, seed-saving and food preservation techniques, and the use of native plants as fire resistant landscaping.

“Grow Some Good is committed to fostering healing and resilience within our community,” said Havilah Mills, Farm to School program manager with Grow Some Good. “Through practical skills and shared knowledge, we’re empowering Maui residents under the GRaCE initiative to cultivate a sense of peace and belonging. This event is not just about gardening—it’s about building a foundation for collective healing alongside self-sufficiency and food security.”

Partners for the event include Chef Hui, Tropical Fungi Academy, UH Maui College, Root & Rise Hawai’i, PATCH, When We Shine Foundation, Hawai’i Public Health Institute, the Center for Getting Things Started, Maui Master Gardeners, and Grow Some Good.

Looking ahead, GRaCE will be hosting additional educational events focused on gardens as sanctuaries of healing, cultural preservation, community connection and green buffers to protect against climate related weather emergencies. Through these opportunities, GRaCE aims to ensure a brighter, more resilient future for Maui’s community.

To learn more about the Hawai’i Farm to School Hui, visit: https://www.hiphi.org/farmtoschool/
For questions, email havilah@growsomegood.org or call 808-215-9228 Ext. 704