It was a beautiful day to mālama i ka ʻāina (care for the land) on Saturday, April 15, and with the help of over 160 volunteers, we showed our love for the Our Kaka‘ako neighborhood during the annual Mālama ‘Āina Community Cleanup.
Once our volunteers checked in at The Barn at SALT at Our Kaka‘ako, they were treated to free coffee and snacks from the Surfrider Foundation and free refillable aluminum water bottles provided by Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Water. Equipped with supplies and reusable trash bags, they then set out to help clean up the nine blocks of Our Kaka‘ako.
Mahalo nui loa to our friends at Surfrider Foundation who collected, counted, and weighed all the trash at Mother Waldron Park. Altogether, our total came out to 455 pounds, blasting away our last record by 80 pounds! We also partnered with Bottles4College, who gave each group of volunteers a designated recyclable collection bag. All the recyclable beverage containers collected from this event went to the local nonprofit, with the proceeds from the recycling redemption fees helping to fund college scholarships for local youth.
To thank our volunteers, we gave out complimentary snack bags with goodies from One-2Buy and coupons. Plus, volunteers received special deals from our restaurant ‘ohana — Butcher & Bird, Honolulu Beerworks, Lonohana Estate Chocolate, Moku Kitchen, and Pitch Sports Bar — during Mālama Lunch Hour. Mahalo for supporting the cleanup and rewarding our volunteers’ hard work!
A big mahalo to our partners, Waterfront Plaza, Surfrider Foundation, and Bottles4College, and our many sponsors: Kamehameha Schools, Kaiāulu ‘o Kaka‘ako Owners Association, Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Water, and The UPS Store Kaka‘ako! And mahalo to all who volunteered! This cleanup was a success thanks to all of us coming together for a good cause.
Want to get more involved with our nonprofit partners? You can volunteer with the Surfrider Foundation and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If you’re interested in supporting Bottles4College, the organization accepts volunteers, donations, and recyclables at drop-off depots.
Our Kaka‘ako holds the Mālama ‘Āina Community Cleanup every year in April during Earth Month. To register as a volunteer or learn more about all of our upcoming events, sign up for our emails!