Since 2011, a community partnership of non-profit organizations, youth providers, public agencies, and businesses have been working to host this annual fundraiser, and in 2018, we welcomed over 2,200 runners and raised over $30,000 for school physical education and nutrition programs. In 2016, 2017, and 2018, Kaho’omiki organized this run alongside the Great Aloha Run, however, we have collectively decided to create a new event, the Keiki Rainbow Run, in the spring of 2019 to ensure it aligns with our shared values and doesn’t compromise our messages about active living and good nutrition.
While we want to help schools raise as much money as possible, we must stay vigilant about prioritizing safety, access, and equity, and strive to create the optimal environment to build healthier communities. We are proud to not accept financial sponsorships from businesses that conflict with our message about healthy lifestyles; we will not put profits over purpose, we will not let industry giants pay to promote harmful messages, and we will not serve sugar-sweetened beverages or unhealthy foods.
We strongly believe that our youth desire the autonomy to make their own decisions, and we hope to do our part to educate them about their options and empower them to positively influence their peers.
We want to thank all of our community partners, school coordinators, parents, and sponsors for their ongoing support for this event—we look forward to making this the biggest and best healthy youth fundraiser in Hawai’i!