Mākena Golf & Beach Club to host benefit supporting Maui Food Bank’s Da Mobile Market

Mākena Golf & Beach Club (Mākena) will host a benefit dinner “Kupu ka niu, kupu ke kanaka” – The niu sprouts, the people grow – on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Mākena’s Nāulu Farm. The event will bring the community together in support of Maui Food Bank’s Da Mobile Market, which expands access to fresh, nutritious food in underserved communities including West Maui, Upcountry, and Hāna. 

Mirroring the movement of Da Mobile Market, the niu travels across the ocean, lands in new places, and creates opportunities for life through its nourishing waters and fruit. In that spirit, this year’s gathering pairs Maui Food Bank’s featured species, ‘uala, with Mākena’s featured species, niu. The event draws on the fitting line from the chant, “Kupu ka niu, kupu ke kanaka.”

Anchored in the theme “The Species That Gather Us,” the event honors the cultural and practical significance of the plants at the center of this partnership. For Maui Food Bank, ‘uala has long supported food security in Hawaiʻi, particularly in drier regions where irrigated agriculture was limited. For Mākena, niu reflects nourishment, movement, resilience, and new growth.

“Since the Maui wildfires, the demand for food assistance has surged, especially in historically underserved communities and for those still recovering,” said Brandi Saragosa, Interim CEO, Maui Food Bank. “Da Mobile Market is a vital resource that allows us to bring food directly to families who might otherwise struggle to access it.” 

Saragosa added, “Monthly food distribution has increased from 250,000 pounds to more than 700,000 pounds per month, including 200,000 pounds of fresh produce per month. The two mobile markets, aptly named Aunty Momi and Uncle Mana, together, embody the heart of our mission to nourish our neighbors with dignity, compassion, and aloha.”

Launched in 2025, Da Mobile Market was created to help close food access gaps while serving families with dignity and consistency. The program focuses on distributing fresh fruits and vegetables, along with proteins and dairy when available. It’s two trucks can carry 10,000 pounds of food combined and are designed to reach underserved communities across Maui. 

“ʻKupu ka niu, kupu ke kanaka’ reminds us that when we nourish people, we nourish the future of this place,” said Brad Anderson, Mākena Golf & Beach Club’s Senior Director of Development. “Maui Food Bank’s Da Mobile Market is doing exactly that—bringing fresh, healthy food directly to families who need it most. We are honored to stand alongside Maui Food Bank and our community partners in this work, and to help cultivate new growth, resilience, and aloha across Maui.”

Mākena Golf & Beach Club’s General Manager, Zach Fahmie, echoed Anderson’s sentiments. “The Mākena ʻohana  is grateful to continue our long-standing relationship with Maui Food Bank to support their mission in providing access to fresh, healthy food across Maui,” said Fahmie. “Extending that partnership through this year’s ‘Kupu ka niu, kupu ke kanaka’ gathering is about doing our part as members of Maui Nui’s broader community and helping it thrive.”

Live music for the evening will be provided by Marja Lehua Apisaloma and Wailau Ryder. Community members are invited to gather in celebration of the specisies that sustain us, the connections that unite us, and the collective effort to nourish Maui’s families. Registration is now open at www.makenainfo.com.