Kilauea volunteers push Ag Center, seeking USDA grants and water-line funding to expand food hub

Volunteers and Ag Center organizers updated the Kilauea Neighborhood Association about fundraising and grant opportunities to expand local food production and a proposed Food Hub.

Minutes state several USDA grant programs were identified (Farmers Market Development, Local Food Production, and Art grants) and referenced $500,000 figures for grant amounts. The project needs a funded water line from the mini golf area to the Ag Center site to open roughly 65 additional acres; the state GIA application and potential matching funds from the Department of Agriculture were mentioned. Beryl Blaich and others asked for support letters to be sent to Nadine Nakamura; Thomas Pickett was assigned to post her email on the KNA blog for volunteers and supporters.

Current volunteer capacity and CSA sales were described: about 24 volunteers per week and roughly 15 CSA boxes sold weekly, with goals of 25 boxes for sale and 30 weekly volunteers. The meeting noted donated produce provides food for needy families and that efforts aim to increase paid CSA participation to stabilize funding and operations.