Health
Honoring ʻike kupuna through cultural practice, connection, and care. KCCN helps our kūpuna age in place with dignity, safety, and aloha.
Established in 2017, the Kūpuna Community Care Network (KCCN) honors the wisdom, dignity, and lived experience of our kūpuna. Rooted in the belief that kūpuna are the foundation of our ʻohana and community, KCCN provides culturally grounded care, connection, and support that help kūpuna safely age in place.
KCCN centers Hawaiian cultural practice through kanikapila, lei making, lauhala weaving, storytelling, huakaʻi, and other activities that strengthen pilina and uplift ʻike kupuna. These offerings are complemented by Tai Chi for fall prevention, health presentations, and home visits, supporting the overall wellbeing of kūpuna and their caregivers.
A community space where kūpuna and mākua connect through hula with Kumu Hula Hoakalei Hina Kamauʻu. Classes every Thursday at Papakōlea Community Center.
Since 2018, Mālama Ola classes have created a welcoming community space for kūpuna and mākua to socialize and connect while learning hula with Kumu Hula Hoakalei Hina Kamauʻu. Classes are held every Thursday at the Papakōlea Community Center. The program nurtures cultural pride, strengthens intergenerational bonds, and supports overall well-being through the practice of hula.
For over 25 years, free lomilomi has nurtured Papakōlea families through aloha and community care.
Founded in the early 1990s by Somerset Kalama Makaneʻole, Nā Lomilomi o Papakōlea was created to preserve and practice traditional Hawaiian healing within the Papakōlea homestead. As KULA's first cultural health initiative, NLP became a trusted space where families could access lomilomi rooted in genealogy, values, and community care. For more than 25 years, practitioners have offered free sessions every Thursday (except the first Thursday of each month), making healing accessible to Papakōlea families and beyond. Supported entirely by community donations, NLP stands as KULA's first self-sustaining program and continues to train new practitioners, ensuring that lomilomi knowledge and practice remain strong for future generations.
Kōkua Naʻauao blends classroom learning with community service to train future health and social service leaders.
Established in 2007, Kōkua Naʻauao is a service-learning curriculum that trains local college students by combining classroom learning with community service. Through hands-on experiences in Papakōlea, students gain firsthand knowledge while contributing to the health and wellbeing of families. Over the years, the program has prepared nursing, social work, and public health students from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Chaminade University, and Hawaiʻi Pacific University, strengthening the next generation of professionals through culturally grounded, community-based learning.
Empowering community resilience through culturally grounded support and lasting housing stability.
Launched in 2020 to address urgent community needs, the Hoʻokele Program expands KULA's community-driven social services network and promotes long-term tenancy and self-sustainability for homestead beneficiaries. The program provides wraparound services for houseless individuals in the Papakōlea region, assisting them in securing and maintaining permanent housing through life transition planning and skill development.
Hoʻokele also supports homestead families with monthly workshops on housing, safety, and financial security. Topics include SNAP, MedQUEST, loan applications, and more. In addition, the program offers application and document assistance to community residents, ensuring access to critical resources. By combining direct services with educational workshops, Hoʻokele strengthens family stability and reinforces the conditions that allow beneficiaries to remain safely housed and connected to their homestead community.
Education
Guiding middle and high school youth to grow as leaders through service, mentorship, and aloha.
Since 2017, the Junior Leaders program has engaged middle and high school students in monthly projects, guest speaker sessions, and excursions that foster positive communication, teamwork, and accountability. In addition to service learning projects, Junior Leaders mentor keiki in the Lamakū after-school program, strengthening intergenerational ties. Participants earn a monthly stipend as they build leadership capacity, social-emotional learning, verbal and written communication skills, self-awareness, and financial literacy. The program cultivates confident, community-minded youth prepared to lead with responsibility and aloha.
Rooted in Hawaiian values, keiki thrive in a safe space guided by community and healthcare professionals.
Started in 2016, Lamakū is an after-school program for community keiki in grades K–5. Lessons are rooted in Hawaiian values and culture, with a focus on strengthening identity and sense of place. Monthly themes include Moʻolelo, Lonoikamakahiki, Holo Moana, Loina Hawaiʻi, and more. The program provides a safe, nurturing space where keiki receive homework assistance, engage in cultural enrichment activities, and participate in huakaʻi (excursions) that deepen their connection to ʻāina and community. The program is staffed by community members and healthcare professionals who bring lived experience and expertise to support keiki growth and well-being.
KULA offers a wide range of culturally grounded programs and community events designed to strengthen identity, foster connection, and promote well-being. From education initiatives to cultural enrichment and health-focused gatherings, these offerings create spaces where keiki, mākua, and kūpuna can learn, grow, and thrive together.
Programs & Events My Dashboard