Common Ground Collective is celebrating harvesting more than 100,000 pounds of local produce this year through its Foster Farm Program. Photo courtesy Common Ground Collective

Common Ground Collective has harvested more than 100,000 pounds of local produce this year, marking a milestone for the organization and its Foster Farm Program.

The program, which began in 2019, harvests fruit from residential properties and redistributes it to the community through donations to nonprofits and sales to small businesses.

In its first year, the program rescued just under 5,000 pounds. This year, the organization completed more than 800 property visits, bringing its total produce redirected into the local food system since inception to more than 325,000 pounds.

“This milestone shows what’s possible when we design food systems with community and around community needs,” said Jennifer Karaca, founding executive director of Common Ground Collective. “The fact that we are already redirecting over 100,000 pounds of food into the local system in a year shows how achievable it is to redesign our food systems to feed our communities, create local jobs, and keep food and profits on island.”

This year, the organization expanded its orchard installation and maintenance services, helping community members transform their properties into groforestry orchards or maintain existing fruit trees.

The program’s first large-scale installation broke ground this fall at the Mahalani lot in the Keōkea Hawaiian Homestead, where more than 120 native and fruit trees were planted.

Common Ground Collective currently works with more than 200 properties across Maui, harvesting produce such as ʻulu, avocados, mangoes, citrus, lychee, and starfruit.

“Our team was incredibly motivated to finish the year strong,” said Joe Barrett, operations manager at Common Ground Collective. “We officially crossed the 100,000-pound mark, with our largest amount harvested ever in a week — a total 4,000-pound harvest — and that momentum really speaks to the dedication of our crew and community partners.”

Despite the success, the organization is facing challenges with funding due to federal cuts and increased competition for grants. To become more sustainable, Common Ground Collective is expanding its social enterprise model, aiming to support operations through service fees rather than relying primarily on grants.

“We need more community members, businesses, and supporters to step in so we can grow this project to scale,” Karaca said. “With the right support, this model can stand on its own, continue feeding those in need, increase ecosystem health, create new job pathways, keep local dollars on the island, and help Maui thrive for generations.”

Founded in 2017, Common Ground Collective works to increase food security, economic opportunities, and education on Maui. For more information, visit commongroundcollective.com.