Hoʻokuaʻāina awarded $100,000 grant to advance Indigenous food justice in Hawaiʻi

Newman’s Own Foundation, Humanitix, The Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and the Hunger to Health Collaboratory are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Food Justice for Kids Prize, which will award $1.4 million in grant funding over two years to be split between 14 nonprofits, Tribes, schools, and school districts in the United States that are working to ensure all children can access, learn about, and engage with nutritious, culturally relevant food at school and in communities. 

Among the recipients is Hoʻokuaʻāina, whose mission it is to cultivate a culture of individual wellbeing and community waiwai through aloha ʻāina”, using kalo (taro) farming as a gathering space for culture, place, and community. The organization provides healthy food to the community, plus training and paid internships connecting local youth to education, jobs, and Native Hawaiian culture. 

Hoʻokuaʻāina in Kailua receives $100,000 in grant funding over the next two years to continue its work of advancing Indigenous food justice for the kids of Hawaiʻi. 

“The Food Justice for Kids Prize supports innovative leaders and organizations growing the next generation of food citizens,” said Alex Amouyel, President and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation. “We’re honored Humanitix, The Henry P. Kendall Foundation, and the Hunger to Health Collaboratory joined the Prize to advance food justice and child nutrition for all.” 

This year’s Food Justice for Kids Prize is a collaboration between Newman’s Own Foundation, Humanitix, a ticketing platform that dedicates 100% of profits to charity, The Henry P. Kendall Foundation, which aims to foster a resilient and healthy food system in New England, and the Hunger to Health Collaboratory (H2HC), which uplifts innovative food and nutrition work that advances health equity.  

More than 1,000 organizations submitted applications this year – nearly double that of the inaugural prize in 2024. During the application review process, more than 125 external reviewers representing different communities, lived experiences, issue areas, and sectors helped inform the selection of the new cohort, alongside staff from the four co-funding organizations. 

“This year’s applicant pool revealed a nationwide need for more funding and resources to support this important work, and it also showcased the incredible amount of passion, commitment, and resourcefulness that’s making a difference in schools and communities across the country every day,” said Adam McCurdie, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Humanitix.  

This year’s recipients are strengthening culturally relevant nutrition education, youth development, local school food procurement, and climate-friendly school meals. From policy and systems change work to direct service and education, each organization has a unique approach to advance food justice in their communities. 

This year, five recipients advancing Indigenous Food Justice will receive a total of $500,000 over two years. These Tribes and organizations include: 

• Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Cooperative Extension, Cherokee, NC 
• Hoʻokuaʻāina, Kailua, HI 
• One Spirit, Pine Ridge Reservation, SD 
• RurAL CAP, Anchorage, AK 
• Yurok Tribe, Klamath, CA 

Nine organizations supporting Nutrition Education & School Food programs will receive a total of $900K over two years, helping to provide access to nourishing food to the 14 million children who live in food-insecure households in the United States. These organizations include: 

• Center for Good Food Purchasing, Berkeley, CA 
• ChangeLab Solutions, Oakland, CA 
• FoodRight Inc., Milwaukee, WI 
• Good Food Collective, Durango, CO 
• Green Umbrella, Cincinnati, OH 
• Grow Windham, Willimantic, CT 
• La Colaborativa, Chelsea, MA 
• Plant Powered School Meals Coalition | Plant Powered Youth Fellowship, Orlando, FL 
• Pilot Light, Chicago, IL 

“We are proud to support this year’s Food Justice for Kids Prize winners. These grantees share our commitment to strengthening sustainable food systems and expanding children’s access to nutritious, culturally relevant, locally sourced foods,” said Andrew Kendall, Executive Director of The Henry P. Kendall Foundation. 

In addition to the grant, Food Justice for Kids Prize recipients will be recognized at the  H2HC 2026 Fall Summit in Boston, MA, this November.  

 “We are focused on supporting innovative policy work in food and nutrition that advances health equity,” said Nicolene Hengen, Executive Director of the Hunger to Health Collaboratory. “This year’s exciting cohort of prize winners is building coalitions, centering community voices, and advancing policies to drive lasting, equitable change in our collective health and well-being.” 

Organizations will also have the opportunity to participate in Newman’s Own Foundation’s virtual learning sessions and meet periodically throughout the year with fellow nonprofits, Tribes, schools, and school districts to network, share best practices, and learn with and from one another. 

To learn more, visit foodjusticeforkids.org.