Tutu and Me Traveling Preschool Distributes 740 Pounds of Fresh Poi to Families Statewide June 24, 2025

At the end of the school year, Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool gifted 740 preschoolers on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Hawaiʻi with one-pound of fresh poi to bring home to their families. The statewide initiative fed families while simultaneously supporting local kalo farmers on each island, creating an economic and cultural impact across Hawaiʻi’s communities. 

“Poi represents the values and mission of our work, symbolizing ʻohana (family), kūpuna (ancestors), and ʻāina (land),” shares Amanda Ishigo, Tūtū and Me Project Director. “These connections form the broader purpose of our curriculum and learning environment. While we want keiki to progress in areas such as language, math and science, we are also very conscious of integrating concepts that emphasize cultural preservation and caring for Hawaiʻi.” 

The multi-island coordination required months of planning with several local farms like Hua ‘Āina Kalo (Molokaʻi), Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi (Oʻahu), Aloha Poi (Maui), Aloha ʻĀina Poi Company (Kauaʻi), and Hawaiʻi Fresh Specialties (Hawaiʻi) to source poi local to the participating families. This partnership approach ensured that families received poi made from kalo grown on their home islands, representing a significant investment in both cultural education and local agriculture. When the poi distribution day came around, families and keiki were smiling from ear to ear with excitement.  

Kawehi Carpio, Tūtū and Me Site Manager of Waimea and Honokaʻa sites, was there for the distribution of poi to their participating families. “What an amazing opportunity and privilege it was to be a part of feeding the hearts, minds, and bodies of our keiki and their families,” Carpio shares, “The poi distribution was a great success, with heartfelt gratitude evident on the faces of keiki and caregivers alike.” 

Tūtū and Me Traveling Preschool integrates Hawaiian Culture Based Education into their curriculum in over 24 locations throughout Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Hawaiʻi. Through a Family-Child Interaction Learning (FCIL) model, their approach ensures that keiki, from birth to five years old, build a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning and success. Providing poi, a staple in Hawaiian culture, was just one of the ways that Tūtū and Me provides families with experiences for extended learning at home. 

“Aunty Malia used to always say, ‘It doesn’t matter if you are Hawaiian or not. If you live in Hawaiʻi, you have the kuleana (responsibility) to be educated about Hawaiʻi and to take care of it’” Ishigo noted. The poi distribution aligns with the mission of Partners in Development Foundation, to inspire and equip families and communities with success and service using timeless Native Hawaiian values and traditions, which has served over 170,000 people across more than 75 communities since 1997. 

This story can also be found on KITV Island News – written by Kayli Pascal-Martinez