UH Hilo students in peer-based mentoring program distribute food to local communities

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The student leaders are currently participating in “Kaukau 4 Keiki,” a collaborative effort headed by the local non-profit Vibrant Hawaiʻi. The UH Hilo campus is one of over two dozen distribution sites islandwide for the summer project.

Large group with bright green vests gather for photo. On tables are bags of food.
Student leaders in the Ka Pouhana Mentoring Program at UH Hilo headed a food distribution event at UH Hilo on June 19. Joining the students and volunteers was U.S. House Representative Jill Tokuda (at far left). (Photo: Ka Pouhana/UH Hilo)

By Susan Enright.

Student leaders in the Ka Pouhana Mentoring Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo along with community volunteers distributed food to local communities on June 19 as part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture food program.

Ka Pouhana is a community-based program that organizes and provides peer and faculty mentoring for students from Hawaiʻi. The student leaders are currently participating in “Kaukau 4 Keiki,” a collaborative effort headed by the local non-profit Vibrant Hawaiʻi. The UH Hilo campus is one of over two dozen distribution sites islandwide for the summer project.

U.S. House Representative Jill Tokuda visited campus and participated in the distribution event at UH Hilo.

“There is so much aloha in our community and people want to give back,” says Tokuda. “I think it makes perfect sense that UH Hilo is the hub and you got folks from around the community coming out to really be involved, making sure that their neighbors are fed.”

U.S. Rep Tokuda helping to fill bags of food.
U.S. House Representative Jill Tokuda (at left) visited campus to participate in the Kaukau 4 Keiki food distribution event at UH Hilo’s Campus Center Plaza, June 19, 2025. (Photo: Ka Pouhana/UH Hilo)

Student delivers bags of food to woman in car with keiki in the back seat.

According to Vibrant Hawaiʻi, “Kaukau 4 Keiki,” launched in 2021, is distributing breakfast and lunch food supplies this summer to an estimated 5,300 keiki for six weeks ​from June 16 through July 25. The program is a demonstration of cross-sector collaboration that unites community, non-profit and faith organizations, local farmers and businesses, and county and state government agencies.

Story by Susan Enright, a public information specialist for the Office of the Chancellor and editor of UH Hilo Stories. She received her bachelor of arts in English and certificate in women’s studies from UH Hilo.

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