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In recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, approximately 100 Kaiser Permanente physicians, providers, nurses, clinical and administrative staff, and their family members dedicated the day to hands-on service at two Hawaii Island sites as part of the 2026 Kaiser Permanente Hawaii Annual Day of Service, hosted by Hawaii Permanente Medical Group.

On the Hilo side, volunteers returned to the Haleolono fishpond at Kamokuna in Honohononui for the eighth consecutive year to support coastal restoration efforts. Working alongside the Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation, participants focused on removing invasive plant species and repairing sections of the historic fishpond wall — an important cultural and ecological resource for the community.

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Meanwhile, in North Kona, Kaiser volunteers partnered with the Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests and the Department of Land and Natural Resources at Pu‘uwa‘awa‘a Forest Reserve.

The group supported restoration of the region’s rare dryland forest ecosystem through activities that included planting native species, collecting seeds, and clearing invasive weeds and vines. The reserve is home to native flora and fauna and holds deep historical and cultural significance. This is the 10th year Kaiser volunteers have come to Pu‘uwa‘awa‘a to work on the forest restoration project.

“When dedicated volunteers show up to work alongside the community members and partners who care for Pu’uwa’awa’a year-round, it creates real, lasting impact,” Rebekah Dickens Ohara, CEO of the Akaka Foundation for Tropical Forests, said in a press release. “We’re grateful to Kaiser Permanente for ten years of helping restore this precious ‘aina.”

“This work is about more than restoring a physical place – it’s about honoring the history, culture, and relationships connected to this land,” Luka Kanaka‘ole, communications officer for the Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation, said in the press release. “When volunteers return year after year, it shows respect and kuleana, and it strengthens the connection between people, ‘aina and community.”