In collaboration with the Office for Social Ministry, HACBED provided technical assistance and support to the 66 Catholic parishes of Hawaiʻi, exploring the transition of their food ministries from an “emergency food” mindset to a more sustainable, nutritious, and community-based approach.

The Hawaiʻi Nutritious Sustainable Food Network (HNSFN) was thus designed with communities in mind. Composed of religious organizations, school gardens, food ministries, organic farms, local nonprofits, and other community-based organizations, our diverse array of partners is critical to the network’s success. Each plays an integral role — both individually and in collaboration with others — in increasing food access and helping people form connections between faith and food. Above all, the project aimed to build community and work to enable the production of local, healthy food, enhance food pantries, unite people in community harvests and ʻohana dialogue, and engage keiki (youth), kūpuna (elders), & everyone in between.

A community’s health and self-sufficiency, however, depend on more than just food. Improvements in food infrastructure and access to nutritious food are not only goals in themselves but also pathways to the resolution of other community needs. Through our food justice worked with the Office for Social Ministry and statewide Catholic parishes, we’ve helped both parishioners and other community members engage youth, care for kūpuna, address homelessness, rebuild ‘ohana, and restore Native Hawaiian cultural vitality. What’s more — as we worked to establish food as an important entry point to addressing the more expansive issues of social justice and faith formation, Pope Francis himself has challenged “people of good will” across the globe to organize and take action.