Growing Together: A Look Back at 2026

As 2026 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on a year of growth, learning, and community at Mālama Hāmākua Maui. To our volunteers, donors, and community partners: mahalo for showing up for the ʻāina and each other.

This year, we added two more water catchment systems to the site and established a fully fenced garden. Most of the garden’s plants were sourced from within Hāmākualoa, supporting our growing effort to propagate from older, established plants in our own area.

We’re also seeing encouraging signs from our February seedball-making classes: seedlings have been found where the seedballs were scattered! In our planting rows, established plants are producing little keiki beneath them—a welcome sign of new growth taking root.

The rain has brought challenges, too, especially in keeping up with the cane grass. But we’re not discouraged. We’re continuing to learn, adapt, and explore new ways to mālama this place together.

Come celebrate with us

Join us for our End-of-Year Celebration and Volunteer Appreciation Day on Saturday, December 12, from 10 AM–1 PM at our 350 Hahana Baseyard.

We’ll share lunch, music, and lei making, and plant more than 15 ʻulu trees in our community garden as we wrap up our Kaulunani grant with DLNR. It’s a chance to celebrate everyone who helped this work grow—and plant something for the years ahead.

Looking ahead to 2027

Our 2027 calendar is ready to share! Save the dates and join us for another year of caring for the ʻāina and building community.

We’ll release our full 2026 impact numbers in early 2027. Until then, mahalo for being part of every planting, gathering, and small success along the way.