Gift for the Community
Makana No Ke Kaiāulu
A grassroots nonprofit rooted in Maui, dedicated to protecting land, ocean, and the people who call it home.
Our Mission
Protecting What We Love, Together
Makana No Ke Kaiāulu — "Gift for the Community" — was born from a deep love of Maui's land, ocean, and the native Hawaiian communities who have cared for them for generations.
We are a grassroots, community-based nonprofit advocacy group. We believe that the health of our reefs, our shorelines, and our people are inseparable. When one suffers, all suffer. When one thrives, all thrive.
Our work centers on limu — Hawaiian seaweed — as a living symbol of that connection. Restoring limu means restoring reef ecosystems, reviving cultural practices, and strengthening the bonds between people and place.
Kuleana
Shared Responsibility
Kuleana is not a burden — it is a privilege. To care for this land, this ocean, and each other is the greatest gift we can give.
In Hawaiian tradition, kuleana means both right and responsibility. It is the understanding that we are bound to the places and people we love — not by obligation, but by aloha.
We carry kuleana for our reefs, our shorelines, and the generations who will inherit them. Every volunteer hour, every limu planted, every story shared is an act of kuleana.
Our Values
What Guides Us
Makana — Gift
We give freely — our time, our knowledge, our aloha — because generosity is the foundation of healthy community.
Aloha ʻĀina
Love of the land. We protect Maui's natural resources as an expression of deep cultural reverence and responsibility.
ʻOhana
We are family. Our work is rooted in relationships — with each other, with our ancestors, and with the living world around us.
Kuleana
Shared responsibility. We believe every person has a role to play in protecting the environment and uplifting native Hawaiian communities.
Join the ʻOhana
Whether you're a lifelong Maui resident or visiting for the first time, there is a place for you in this work. Come restore, learn, and connect.