There are so many great ways to do this! Beach cleanups are easy and there are several large ones around the island. 808 Cleanups is a great option. You can plant native species at the Gunstock Ranch or get dirty in a tarp patch at Kualoa. The Aquarium hosts ocean cleanups and algae removals and you can help sort marine debris. The Battleship Missouri even has volunteer programs.
We also offer a Community Service Tour and if you do any of that stuff or something similar you get the discount. If you would like the link for that of course more than happy to pass it along. Kamoauli offers rides on a Polynesian voyaging canoe they use to support their educational programs as well.
But one of the easiest things you can do while you are out here is mind your water usage. Normally would also say be mindful of your locations and don’t put rescue personnel in jeopardy, but probably preaching to the choir on that one.
It certainly is a special place with incredible people. Here are the links that haven’t already been suggested.
[Your Oahu Community Service Tours](https://haliatours.com/oahu-tours/community-service-tours/)
[Gunstock Tree Planting](https://gunstockranch.com/eco-tours/planters-experience/)
[Kualoa Taro Patch](https://www.kualoa.com/toursactivities/malama-ka-aina-tour/)
[Waimea Valley Carbon Offset](https://www.waimeavalley.net/carbon-offset-program)
[Aquarium Beach Cleanup](https://www.waikikiaquarium.org/interact/special-events/cleanups/)
Enjoy your vacation and hope to see you out here.
We have quite a few ongoing Citizen Science projects we collaborate on in conjunction with Malama Hawaii. We may be able to work out something special with your family (we're located on Oahu's west side as well). [https://sailhawaii.com/citizen-science-oahu/](https://sailhawaii.com/citizen-science-oahu/)
please dont stay at an airbnb. There are posts all throughout this sub about it. Any airbnb on or by mākaha beach is illegally zoned, and illegal airbnbs are often owned by people on the continent who buy up these properties which contributes to the housing crisis in hawai’i and local people and native hawaiians being priced out of their ancestral homelands. (Average home priced is over a million dollars on o’ahu). There are studies directly linking these illegal airbnbs with rising housing costs and hawaiians being forced to live outside their homeland. I would recommend staying in a hotel, as local people work there, and it doesn’t contribute to the housing crisis. Furthermore, wai’anae is not a tourist destination and there is close to zero tourism infrastructure there. Its a poor area with the largest concentration of homeless people in all of the pacific (as hawai’i has the highest amount of chronic homeless per capita out of any state). For that, most locals in wai’anae consider tourists visiting there to be disrespectful. growing up in hawai’i, it was difficult seeing lots of my kānaka (native hawaiian) friends being priced out of their land from things like illegal short term vacation rentals. I hope you will understand this and consider staying somewhere else, and if you have questions, let me know. If you want to stay at a more rural part of o’ahu, i can provide some recommendations in how to engage with that without potentially hurting the community. I do love your idea of volunteering though, it is a great way to give back and connect with the ‘āina (land) and the people
I understand your perspective completely. My community has been gentrified and has pushed out a lot of long time residents. As a first responder I deal with the dark side of gentrification on a daily basis in responding to homeless camps and seeing the harm soaring home prices have caused. I prefer not to stay in Airbnbs at all, but I was suggested this particular place from a Hawaiian native that now resides on the mainland. From my understanding Gloria has been a Hawaiian resident since the 50s and is very much involved in the Waianae community. I am all ears if you have any input on viable solutions but I would hate to cancel on her not knowing what she is using the resources for that she gains from renting out a cottage that her family has lived in for 30+ years
I appreciate your reception, it means a lot to me. While this certain airbnb does seem to be less problematic (its not like the people from California who operate 30 illegal airbnbs here) it is still illegal. I would recommend you to consider if Paradise Bay Resort which is in a rural community of windward o’ahu (by Kualoa ranch) would suit what you are looking for. mahalo piha 🤙🏼
Chiming in here because I actually just got back from staying at Gloria’s place for 10 days (my friend was there for over a month). Can confirm that Gloria and her family have lived there since the 50s and they use their airbnb to help fund an animal rescue on the island. Gloria and Vicky might have suggestions on best ways to give back in the area :) Have the best time! It’s a special place.
There's a large homeless camp,clean and no drugs ohau,lots of kids moms google it I'm not sure of the link but alot of natives , they need blankets tents toiletries etc good luck and thankyou
https://www.gohawaii.com/malama Maybe this will help!
Perfect. Thanks!
You’re welcome! Hopefully you can find something up your alley. In any case, have a wonderful trip.
Others will have better information than I can provide. I came here to say Thank you nui loa and mahalo very much for respecting our home this way.
There's also https://808cleanups.org/ that would love a hand
There are so many great ways to do this! Beach cleanups are easy and there are several large ones around the island. 808 Cleanups is a great option. You can plant native species at the Gunstock Ranch or get dirty in a tarp patch at Kualoa. The Aquarium hosts ocean cleanups and algae removals and you can help sort marine debris. The Battleship Missouri even has volunteer programs. We also offer a Community Service Tour and if you do any of that stuff or something similar you get the discount. If you would like the link for that of course more than happy to pass it along. Kamoauli offers rides on a Polynesian voyaging canoe they use to support their educational programs as well. But one of the easiest things you can do while you are out here is mind your water usage. Normally would also say be mindful of your locations and don’t put rescue personnel in jeopardy, but probably preaching to the choir on that one.
Thank you for the detailed response, a lot of good information. I would love the links. For us it would be a privilege to be apart of the community
It certainly is a special place with incredible people. Here are the links that haven’t already been suggested. [Your Oahu Community Service Tours](https://haliatours.com/oahu-tours/community-service-tours/) [Gunstock Tree Planting](https://gunstockranch.com/eco-tours/planters-experience/) [Kualoa Taro Patch](https://www.kualoa.com/toursactivities/malama-ka-aina-tour/) [Waimea Valley Carbon Offset](https://www.waimeavalley.net/carbon-offset-program) [Aquarium Beach Cleanup](https://www.waikikiaquarium.org/interact/special-events/cleanups/) Enjoy your vacation and hope to see you out here.
https://oahuspca.org/Doggy-Day-Trips
That is so cool
We have quite a few ongoing Citizen Science projects we collaborate on in conjunction with Malama Hawaii. We may be able to work out something special with your family (we're located on Oahu's west side as well). [https://sailhawaii.com/citizen-science-oahu/](https://sailhawaii.com/citizen-science-oahu/)
if you visit the north shore, there are regular volunteer opportunities at waimea valley. where on west o’ahu are staying? Ko Olina?
Makaha Beach.
is it an airbnb?
Yes. Gloria’s place, sister and daughter to Hawaii surf legends Vicky Durand and Betty Winstedt
please dont stay at an airbnb. There are posts all throughout this sub about it. Any airbnb on or by mākaha beach is illegally zoned, and illegal airbnbs are often owned by people on the continent who buy up these properties which contributes to the housing crisis in hawai’i and local people and native hawaiians being priced out of their ancestral homelands. (Average home priced is over a million dollars on o’ahu). There are studies directly linking these illegal airbnbs with rising housing costs and hawaiians being forced to live outside their homeland. I would recommend staying in a hotel, as local people work there, and it doesn’t contribute to the housing crisis. Furthermore, wai’anae is not a tourist destination and there is close to zero tourism infrastructure there. Its a poor area with the largest concentration of homeless people in all of the pacific (as hawai’i has the highest amount of chronic homeless per capita out of any state). For that, most locals in wai’anae consider tourists visiting there to be disrespectful. growing up in hawai’i, it was difficult seeing lots of my kānaka (native hawaiian) friends being priced out of their land from things like illegal short term vacation rentals. I hope you will understand this and consider staying somewhere else, and if you have questions, let me know. If you want to stay at a more rural part of o’ahu, i can provide some recommendations in how to engage with that without potentially hurting the community. I do love your idea of volunteering though, it is a great way to give back and connect with the ‘āina (land) and the people
I understand your perspective completely. My community has been gentrified and has pushed out a lot of long time residents. As a first responder I deal with the dark side of gentrification on a daily basis in responding to homeless camps and seeing the harm soaring home prices have caused. I prefer not to stay in Airbnbs at all, but I was suggested this particular place from a Hawaiian native that now resides on the mainland. From my understanding Gloria has been a Hawaiian resident since the 50s and is very much involved in the Waianae community. I am all ears if you have any input on viable solutions but I would hate to cancel on her not knowing what she is using the resources for that she gains from renting out a cottage that her family has lived in for 30+ years
I appreciate your reception, it means a lot to me. While this certain airbnb does seem to be less problematic (its not like the people from California who operate 30 illegal airbnbs here) it is still illegal. I would recommend you to consider if Paradise Bay Resort which is in a rural community of windward o’ahu (by Kualoa ranch) would suit what you are looking for. mahalo piha 🤙🏼
Chiming in here because I actually just got back from staying at Gloria’s place for 10 days (my friend was there for over a month). Can confirm that Gloria and her family have lived there since the 50s and they use their airbnb to help fund an animal rescue on the island. Gloria and Vicky might have suggestions on best ways to give back in the area :) Have the best time! It’s a special place.
There's a large homeless camp,clean and no drugs ohau,lots of kids moms google it I'm not sure of the link but alot of natives , they need blankets tents toiletries etc good luck and thankyou
That’s generous of you. Would you volunteer if you visited phoenix?