Kaua’i Hurricane Recovery Fund

A Storm That Reached Every Table

When Hurricane Lowell struck Kaua’i in September 2026, it became the first hurricane to hit the island directly since ’Iniki in 1992. The winds brought down power lines and homes, and they also tore through the farms that feed our island.

Families who spent years building their land lost entire harvests overnight. Mango, avocado, lychee, durian and banana crops were destroyed weeks before harvest. Toppled trees crushed irrigation lines, fencing, and waterways. Farm buildings, equipment, and nurseries full of young plants were lost. Ranchers are still repairing miles of damaged fence line to keep their cattle safe.

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The Harvests of Tomorrow

The deepest loss is the one we can’t see yet. Hundreds of mature fruit trees were uprooted, and many had taken years of care before they bore their first fruit. When a farmer loses a tree, they lose more than this season’s crop. They lose every harvest that tree would have produced for years to come.

Replanting means starting over, and farmers will wait years before those orchards produce again. Without support during that gap, many small family farms may not survive long enough to see them grow back.

kauai-hurricane-damage-farms

Why This Matters for All of Us

Hawai’i imports most of its food, which leaves our islands vulnerable whenever shipping is disrupted. After hurricane Lowell, cargo capacity went first to disaster recovery, and our dependence on outside food became clear to everyone.

Local farms are how we build a more resilient future. They keep fresh, homegrown food on our tables, sustain generations of agricultural knowledge, and move Kaua’i toward true food sustainability. Supporting our farmers is an act of stewardship: caring for the land so it can continue to care for us.

kauai-hurricane-damage-farm-house

Who We’re Supporting

The Kaua’i Hurricane Recovery Fund begins with farms and community partners we know and work alongside. As donations grow, we hope to extend support to more farms across the island.

  • Buena Vista Gardens: An organic, no-till farm growing greens, herbs, and vegetables for Kaua’i families, restaurants, and markets, with plots in Moloa’a and at ’Āina Ho’okupu O K’lauea.
  • ’Āina Ho’okupu O Kīlauea (AHK): A shared farm that supports several growers, including Buena Vista Gardens, and home to the pepper patches for Pepper Sauce For Peace.
  • Viva Rain Farms: Run by Brad and Amy. This family farm lost most of the mature avocado and longon and mangosteen trees.
  • Pong’s farm: Tremendous loss to farm and greenhouse infrastructure, lost entire banana crop and many mango trees and all farm production abilities.
  • Pepper Sauce For Peace: A giant tree came down across our pepper patches at AHK, and clearing it will take chainsaws, a crew, and heavy equipment before we can replant.
  • Collab Cafe: Feeding our community through the recovery.

How Your Support Helps

The Kaua’i Hurricane Recovery Fund provides direct assistance so our partners can:

  • Clear fallen trees and storm debris, including large trees that need crews and heavy equipment
  • Replant orchards, pepper patches, and lost seedlings
  • Repair irrigation, water systems, and fencing
  • Rebuild or replace damaged structures and equipment
  • Bridge the income gap while new crops grow
  • Keep community kitchens like Collab Cafe feeding families during the recovery

Ways to Get Involved

  • Donate: Every contribution, large or small, goes toward restoring the land.
  • Share: Spread the word to friends, family, and anyone who loves Kaua’i.
  • Buy Local: When our farmers return to market, your purchases keep them growing.

Contact and/or to share your interest and ways you feel you can be of support.

Join the growing global community of people supporting this project.

Mālama ’āina. When we care for the land and the people who tend it, we protect the future of food on Kaua’i. Mahalo for standing with our farmers and our community.

— Shirin Hunt, INCF World