Hoola Farms in Papaikou was awarded the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Grant.
Ho‘ola Farms in Papaikou was awarded the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Grant.
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture accepted 47 applications in fiscal year 2019 for the program for review. GoFarm Hawai‘i: Growing Veterans, an innovative pilot program at Ho‘ola Farms, a nonprofit organization, was one of six applicants selected nationwide.
GoFarm Hawai‘i: Growing Veterans combines GoFarm Hawai‘i’s proven six-month agricultural training program for commercial agriculture production with essential health and human services to support veterans in their entrepreneurial ventures and personal lives. Its goal is to increase the number of veterans seeking and securing educational, employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in the food and agriculture sector on Hawaii Island.
The program also engages additional veterans, caregivers and families through extracurricular activities to develop a pipeline of training programs while expanding and strengthening the network of veterans actively working in agriculture on the Big Island.
Classes begin in early 2020.
Veterans interested in participating or those who want more information can visit www.hoolafarms.org.
