1 April 2022 – Consul General Emil Fernandez received a delegation led by Dr. Susan Mercado, Food Systems Director of the Hawaii Public Health Institute (HPHI), and Mr. Kuhio Lewis, President, and CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) at the Consulate yesterday to discuss the group’s Hawaii Fund for Food Garden project. The proposal aims to provide grants to individuals and organizations to help establish food gardens. Through partnerships, toolkits, training, garden implements and access to seeds will be given. Consul General Fernandez expressed his support to the initiative, as it would address the issues of food self-sufficiency, affordability, and proper nutrition. Interested parties may obtain additional information by contacting Dr. Mercado at susan@hiphi.org.
In the photo are (from left to right), Mr. Nicholas Carroll – Chief of Staff of CNHA, Ms. Ned Rodriguez – Vice President of Bank of Hawaii, Dr. Mercado, Consul General Fernandez, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Rufino Dan Magliba – Assistant Manager of CNHA, and Vice Consul Andrea Christina Caymo-Kauhanen. (END)