ʻAiaola
ʻAiaola can be interpreted in multiple ways. Our two most meaningful translations are “eat for well-being” and “food for health.” Long before Western medicine, Native Hawaiian and other Indigenous cultures understood the inseparable connection between food, environment, and health.
It is essential that we continue to share and educate the wisdom of our kūpuna — our elders — as we move forward in today’s world. Our deep relationship with the land, the elements, and native plants once sustained a thriving population of 800,000 to 1 million people without outside imports. Early explorers observed that Native Hawaiians were strong, healthy, industrious, and highly knowledgeable in both earthly and astronomical sciences.
While Food is Medicine is a national movement, Native Hawaiian knowledge of ʻai pono — eating in a way that is proper and health-sustaining — is unique and foundational to how Food is Medicine is implemented in Hawaiʻi. These practices, passed down through generations, guide our work.
Today, as we continue the work we have always known — that food is medicine — we remain grounded in ola, or health.
One of our flagship projects is the development of the ʻAiaola Food is Medicine Center, a Community Care Hub that will drive Food is Medicine innovation across Hawaiʻi. This center (currently being developed under HGFA’s leadership) will serve as a central hub connecting healthcare providers, community organizations, and food system partners. The goal is to deliver holistic, person-centered care so that people facing food insecurity, chronic disease, or other social challenges receive the support they need on multiple fronts. Through the ʻAiaola Center, a patient could be referred by their healthcare provider to community programs that provide healthy food (like a produce prescription or medically tailored meal service) and nutrition education, all coordinated in a seamless way.
In addition to coordinating services for clients, the ʻAiaola Food is Medicine Center will advance Food is Medicine in Hawaiʻi by focusing on several strategic areas.
‘Aiaola Food is Medicine Center
Supporting Local Farmers & Food Businesses
Strengthening the supply chain for Food is Medicine programs. In addition to its formal FIM programming, HGFA achieves this through the Hawaiʻi Good Food Fund and Kuina ʻAi programs. The Good Food Fund distributes grants and catalytic capital to small and midsized producers, and Kuina ʻAi provides technical assistance and Value Chain Coordination to food hubs, farmers, and food aggregators across the state.
Developing & Evaluating FIM Models
Designing pilot programs and rigorously measuring their impact on health outcomes and local economies and communities. We track indicators like improvements in patients’ health metrics, healthcare utilization, as well as farmers’ revenues and community economic benefits.
Bridging Healthcare & Food Systems
Expanding partnerships with Medicaid, health plans, hospitals, and health centers to integrate Food is Medicine into standard care. This includes creating referral pathways, billing mechanisms, and data-sharing agreements so that healthcare providers can easily prescribe and coordinate nutrition services.
Advancing Policy & Advocacy
Supporting long-term systems change through policy initiatives. We will continue to advocate for state and local policies that fund nutrition services, incentivize local food procurement, and address root causes of food insecurity.
Engaging & Educating Communities
Promoting nutrition education, cultural foodways, and food sovereignty at the community level. We uplift community-led workshops and the ʻAha ʻAi Pono Summit Series to reconnect people with traditional foods and empower them with knowledge to improve their health.
A Systems-Level Solution
By serving as a Community Care Hub, the ʻAiaola Center will also streamline operations such as referrals, billing, and data management for Food is Medicine services. This makes it easier for healthcare providers to connect patients with food resources, and for community organizations to partner with health plans and payers. In essence, ʻAiaola will be the coordination backbone that weaves together Hawaiʻi’s healthcare and food systems. Through this innovative hub, we aim to demonstrate a scalable model of how nourishing food, culture, and healthcare can all intersect to produce better health outcomes and vibrant local economies.
The ʻAiaola FIM Center model offers sustained funding for nutrition support services, ensuring community members receive reliable, consistent care and access to healthy food.