How Aulani Fanene’s Simple Act of Kindness Grew Into a Community Lifeline for Hawaii Families
She rallied neighbors to feed families, fund youth sports and create hope that still grows today
Key Takeaways
- Aulani Fanene raised money to cover sports fees and gear for over 100 local kids.
- She turned her family farm into a food hub to ensure no child went hungry.
- Her community program expanded to offer free bodysurfing lessons and beach cleanups.
When Aulani Fanene realized how many of her neighbors were struggling, she turned her farm into a welcoming place of hope, nourishment and fun. Here, she shares her story with Woman’s World.
“Touchdown!” Aulani Fanene threw her arms in celebration when her son and daughter’s Ohana, Hawaii, recreation-league football team scored. It was the first game post-COVID, and as Aulani scanned the sidelines, her heart sank. So many of the kids who usually played were missing.
The pandemic had hit the community hard, and many families struggled to cover basic needs.
“My mom can’t afford the $500 fee this season,” one 12-year-old admitted while visiting Aulani’s fifth-generation oceanside farm.
“These at-risk kids need to play sports the most,” she told her boyfriend, Blaine, and it sparked an idea.
Aulani hosted fundraisers, reached out to local businesses and rallied neighbors to help sponsor players.
“We’re holding a yard sale this Saturday,” she posted on her family’s website, FarmKineTings, and before long she’d raised enough to pay for 100 players’ fees and equipment.
But when some players missed practice or games, Aulani discovered the heartbreaking reason.
“I haven’t eaten since yesterday. I just wasn’t up to doing all that running,” one 14-year-old admitted.
So Aulani began buying food to make sure the players had enough to eat.
But there were so many players and their families in need, she soon partnered with Aloha Harvest, a group that recovers unused food from restaurants and grocery stores, and turned her home into a local distribution center where anyone could come for groceries.
Eventually, sponsors had taken up the cause and now the community football league was well-supported, but the season was over. The kids who flocked to her farm needed something new to fill their afternoons and weekends.
Blaine is a professional bodysurfer, yet some of the local kids had never so much as stepped into the nearby ocean.
“All this beauty — they need to experience it,” she told Blaine, and soon she was looking for more sponsors, this time seeking bodysurfing equipment.
“Blaine and his buddies are going to give you lessons,” she announced to the kids, then added, “Right after we do a beach cleanup.”
The kids loved every minute of it.
“I’m just trying to make a difference because I know what it’s like,” Aulani says. “There was a time when I wasn’t working, the bills went unpaid, and without the help of my community, I would have gone under. Now, I’m just paying that kindness forward.”
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