Kupu’s mission is:

“To empower youth to serve their communities through character-building, service-learning, and environmental stewardship opportunities that encourage integrity (pono) with God, self and others.”

Kupu, a 501(c)(3) Hawaii-based non-profit,was formed in 2007.  Kupu exists because of a heart to serve.  Kupu in Hawaiian means “to sprout, grow, germinate, or increase” and like the kupukupu fern (which is one of the first plants to bring life back to the land after a devastating lava flow), Kupu’s heart is to bring life back to the people, the land, and the ocean.  Despite tragedies and hardships which Hawaii’s people and environment may have faced, like the kupukupu fern, through our actions and programs we aim to assist in providing a new beginning with hope and promise.

Kupu provides a home organization for the Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps (HYCC), Urban Corps (UC), and Rewarding Internships for Sustainable Employment (RISE) Program. Through its various programs, Kupu aims to provide experiential education, as well as job training, leadership, teamwork, and life skills development opportunities to help youth and young adults succeed in life and encourages them to serve their communities.