The Honolulu Recreational Community Gardening Program was founded in 1975 to provide an alternative form of recreation around “experiential environmental opportunities in even the most dense urban environment, by providing the opportunity for urban citizens to care continuously for the health of a small plot of earth” (Bonnie Goodell, the first coordinator of the program). While much of the original intention is the same today, the program has grown to 11 gardens of varying sizes and character, and has begun to expand outside of the urban core, recognizing that this opportunity might serve a wider mission and vision:

Mission: the Honolulu Recreational Community Gardening Program (HRCGP) provides community garden spaces for people to grow their own foods, herbs, flowers and other plants, and to connect with their neighbors through community-led gardening activities. HRCGP supports neighborhood volunteers who steward community gardens as active resources that strengthen communities. HRCGP is committed to serving the needs of community members whose recreational needs are not met by athletic, craft, non-active open space, and other traditional park facilities, and especially of those who would not otherwise have access to growing space. 

Vision: to promote community building, resiliency, healthy food and movement, and stewardship of green spaces through experiential and educational opportunities, and publicly accessible physical activities, for the communities of O‘ahu.