Common Ground Collective surpasses 100,000 pounds of food harvested in 1 year

Common Ground Collective, a Maui-based food security nonprofit, recently announced it has harvested over 100,000 pounds of local produce in one year through its Foster Farm Program.

Launched in 2019, the Foster Farm Program began by harvesting fruit trees for Maui residents and rescuing produce that would otherwise go to waste. In its first year, the program harvested just under 5,000 pounds.

Six years later, the effort has grown into a more robust operation that performed over 800 property visits and saved over 100,000 pounds of produce for the Maui community this year, according to Common Ground Collective.

Since inception, the program has reportedly redirected more than 325,000 pounds of produce into the local food system.

Harvested food is distributed through donations to local nonprofit partners and sales to small local businesses, helping to feed those in need, reduce reliance on imported food and keeping food dollars circulating on the island.

“This milestone shows what’s possible when we design food systems with community and around community needs,” said Jennifer Karaca, executive director of Common Ground Collective. “The fact that we are already redirecting over 100,000 pounds of food into the local system in a year shows how achievable it is to redesign our food systems to feed our communities, create local jobs and keep food and profits on island. I couldn’t be more proud of our team and the movement we are helping to grow.” 

This year, Common Ground Collective also launched the next phase of the Foster Farm Program, scaling up its orchard installation and maintenance services. Community members can now hire Common Ground Collective to help transform their properties into agroforestry orchards or to maintain existing fruit trees. These services, combined with harvesting and distribution, allow the nonprofit to offer full-cycle support, from planting and maintenance to harvest and community distribution and profits can be directed back into helping grow more food or purchasing food to feed more people in need. 

The program’s first large-scale installation broke ground this fall at the Mahalani lot in the Keōkea Hawaiian Homestead, where Common Ground Collective planted more than 120 native and fruit trees with the intention of expanding Maui’s local food system.

Common Ground Collective currently works with over 200 properties across Maui, both large and small, harvesting a wide range of produce including ʻulu, avocados, mangoes, citrus, lychee, starfruit and other tropical fruits. 

“Our team was incredibly motivated to finish the year strong,” said Joe Barrett, operations manager at Common Ground Collective. “We officially crossed the 100,000-pound mark, with our largest amount harvested ever in a week, a total of 4,000-pound harvest, and that momentum really speaks to the dedication of our crew and community partners.” 

Despite the program’s impact, Common Ground Collective said it is navigating a challenging funding environment because of federal funding cuts and a competitive grant landscape.

To continue scaling its work and to move toward long-term sustainability, Common Ground Collective announced it will grow a social enterprise model, with the goal of eventually supporting operations through service fees rather than relying primarily on grants. 

“We need more community members, businesses and supporters to step in so we can grow this project to scale,” Karaca said. “With the right support, this model can stand on its own, and continue feeding those in need, increase ecosystem health, create new job pathways, keep local dollars on the island and help Maui thrive for generations.”