The Hawaiʻi Food is Medicine Center is a diverse partnership bridging the gap between local food systems and healthcare.

Our mission is to ensure that nutritious, locally sourced food is accessible, affordable, and nourishing for all.

This effort is spearheaded by the Hawaiʻi Good Food Alliance (HGFA), which is providing locally sourced produce prescription boxes to Medicaid patients with plans for statewide expansion. By uniting partners across agriculture, nutrition, and healthcare, we works to prevent and treat diet-related diseases through “food is medicine” programs. The Hawaiʻi Food is Medicine Center aims to simultaneously improve the health of people, the well-being of Hawaiʻi’s ‘āina (land), and the resilience of local farmers and producers.

In 2025, Hawaiʻi received temporary federal approval (via a Section 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver) to use Medicaid funds for nutrition support services, making it one of the first states to explicitly cover “food is medicine” interventions and emphasize local food procurement in healthcare. This policy milestone underscores our purpose: integrating food and healthcare to build healthier communities and sustainable local food systems. The pilots in this section represent our holistic, culturally grounded approach to Food is Medicine.

Gathering to Support Relationships

ʻAha ʻAi Pono

ʻAha ʻAi Pono gatherings — created to cultivate and support Indigenous relationships within our local food system. These gatherings are more than events. They are journeys of learning, action, and transformation rooted in Native Hawaiian knowledge, culture, and community power. Their purpose is to inspire

action:

  • How will we apply what we have learned?

  • How will we nourish our people?

  • How will we sustain our culture?

  • How will we strengthen our lāhui?

Each ʻAha follows a cyclical path, building upon the last:

  • Birth of the ʻAha ʻAi Pono in Pālehua

  • Collaboration in Waiʻanae

  • Application and action in Waimānalo

  • Education and perpetuation at Hoʻoulu ʻĀina in Kalihi Valley

Together, these gatherings serve as a living culmination of collective wisdom, relationships, and shared responsibility — uplifting a growing community of practitioners, farmers, healers, and leaders.

We remain committed to supporting future `Aha `Aipono place based gatherings throughout the pae`āina of Hawaiʻi.

Growing Justice Community of Practice

HGFA is convening a year-long Community of Practice focused on locally sourced FIM. The goal is to strengthen relationships and build capacity to activate the Medicaid 1115 waiver, while also developing a more unified voice for values-based FIM procurement.

The CoP brings together 21 community-based organizations from across the state, including community health centers, food aggregators, and local farmers. Participants bring a wide range of FIM experience, from beginner to advanced, but all share commitment to empowering local farmers and ʻāina accountability. Through the CoP we convene participants virtually and in-person to break down silos, elevate community voice, and host strategic conversations to support community-led FIM. 

Food is Medicine in Action

Education for Health Professionals

Many providers practicing in our communities have not had the opportunity to learn about Native Hawaiian cultural norms, traditional foods, and medicinal knowledge.

We create opportunities for healthcare professionals to integrate their medical training with local and Indigenous knowledge. By doing so, we strengthen clinical practice, deepen relationships, and improve health outcomes for Hawaiʻi residents.

Bridging Culture and Practice

ʻAiaola Food is Medicine Dashboard

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