Volunteer Opportunities on Kauai – Helping the Kauaian Way

In Hawaiian, the word kokua means “to help.” There are many ways for visitors to show kokua when visiting Kauai, from hauling out your trash and cigarette butts at the beach, being mindful and respectful of sensitive cultural areas, and obeying local signage warning visitors of ocean dangers and other risks. 

If you have a passion for volunteering and want to find causes on Kauai that you can give back to while on vacation, we have a short list of wonderful opportunities for you:

Kauai Humane Society Shelter Dog Field Trip Program  

Kauaiʻs wilderness trails and paths are best explored with a four-legged friend by your side. The Kauai Humane Society field trip program invites visitors to help give a shelter dog a break from waiting for their furever home by taking them out on a field trip around Kauai. Volunteering with this program helps the shelter learn the dogʻs personality and behavior out in the real world, providing better data to help the dogs get adopted quicker. The field trip program is open daily with pickup between 10 am and 12 pm and returns due back at 5 pm. Spur of the moment field trips without reservations are allowed every day between 10 am and 12 pm, except Thursdays. For more information or to sign up for this program, visit https://kauaihumane.org/service/field-trips/.

Surfrider Foundation Net Patrol and Beach Cleanups 

Offshore fishing nets and hazardous plastic pollution are one of the greatest threats to a healthy ocean ecosystem and its wildlife. The Ocean Friendly Visitor Program encourages all visitors to help protect Kauaiʻs marine life with beach clean up kits provided at participating hotels and scheduled cleanups every Wednesday at 3:30 pm. Volunteers meet at a designated beach or coastal area to remove large fishing gear and other pollution from Kauai beaches. Within five months, the Surfrider Foundation has successfully removed approximately 12 tons of nets off Kauaiʻs beaches. These collection efforts allow the Surfrider Foundation to use data to influence laws and reduce waste at the source. There are a few prerequisites for those volunteering, such as being able to navigate rocky shorelines and lift heavy items. For more information, call or text Barbara W. at (808) 635-2593 or follow them on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/surfriderkauai/

National Tropical Botanical Garden Horticulture Volunteer Program

Visiting one of the three National Tropical Botanical Gardens is high on our Kauai vacation must-do list. Through guided and self-guided tours, NTBG gives visitors an inside look at the botanical landscape that makes Kauai so special and the potential threats that endanger our native species. Take your garden visit a step further and enroll to become a volunteer at least three weeks prior to your visit. The volunteer program allows visitors to spend time caring for tropical plants by planting, weeding, watering, trimming and raking, while learning more about gardening. For more information or to complete the application form, visit https://ntbg.org/support/volunteer/.

Friends of Kamalani & Lydgate Park Community Workdays

Join the Friends of Kamalani on Saturday mornings from 8:30 am to 10:30 am for a beach clean up at the Lydgate Beach Park swimming ponds. Volunteers meet weekly to clean up swimming areas, remove plant debris from the nearby Heiau, or participate in park beautification. After working all morning, spend the rest of the day,enjoying the fruits of your labor at the park. We recommend bringing snorkeling gear to get an underwater view of the teeming wildlife in Morgan Ponds, walking shoes to explore the recreation path, play hide-n-seek at Kamalani Playground with your keiki, or find a nice ironwood tree to lay under and take a nap. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfKamalani/ or call (808) 639-1018.

Malama i na Honu (Protect the Turtles)

One of the most magnificent sights on Kauaiʻs southside is watching the Hawaiian green sea turtles at Poipu Beach swim to shore during sundown for their nightly rest. It is not uncommon to find over 30 turtles resting on the shoreline and this view has become a popular attraction for visitors. Malama i na Honu is looking for volunteers who can dedicate 10 hours a month to help protect the turtles and educate visitors.  For more information, contact Volunteer Education Coordinator Debbie Herrera at debbie@malamainahonu.org.

Malama Kauai

Malama Kauai is a volunteer organization that promotes opportunities on Kauai for giving back, focusing on access to locally grown food, support for farmers and food distribution. Their mission is to increase local food production and access for Kauai residents. Some volunteer opportunities include egg washing and packaging, food hub volunteers and village harvest gleaning harvesters. Their main requirement to volunteer – a passion for local food and supporting local farmers; an aloha spirit and a positive, welcoming attitude. For more information or to get involved in their programs, visit https://malamakauai.org/.

Malama Huleia 

Ancient Hawaiian folklore speaks of the menehune, a mythological race of people who were known to live in the forest and had mysterious building skills.  According to legend, Alakoko Fishpond, known to locals as Menehune Fishpond, is one of those construction marvels built by the menehune. Malama Huleia invites you to walk in the footsteps of the menehune with community workdays at Alakoko fishpond every 3rd Saturday of the month. Volunteering at the fishpond helps with important maintenance and conservation work and engage with community leaders who love to share the history and importance of the land. At the end of each workday, volunteers are rewarded with lunch and a talk story session. Volunteer registration opens one week prior to the community workday and fills quickly. Subscribe to the volunteer email list and register for your workday at https://malamahuleia.org/how-to-help/. 

Waipa Foundation 

Giving back to native Hawaiian families and at-risk youth on the north shore of Kauai is the core mission of the Waipa Foundation, a non profit organization dedicated to programs that enrich children, build community, and teach life long skills. Every 4th Saturday, Waipa Foundation opens for a community workday from 9 am to 12 pm, with lunch provided for all volunteers. Possible work includes learning to malama (care for) the land in one of three sections on Waipa Foundationʻs property, such as controlling invasive weeds and planting native trees or other useful plants. Make sure to bring shoes that you donʻt mind getting wet, water, insect repellent, extra clothes, and most importantly, your good energy and aloha. To sign up to volunteer, contact Kirstie via text at (808) 651-1400 or email keahidaly@gmail.com. For more information, visit https://waipafoundation.org/2016/10/04/community-workday-4th-saturday-monthly/.

There is a Hawaiian proverb, “Aloha Aku,  Aloha Mai,” which translates as “when love is given, love should be returned. Kauaiʻs beauty and magic is shown not only through its natural attractions and adventurous activities, but also through learning to malama or care for the island by giving back.