Kaʻū Kōkua: Mālama Kaʻū Foundation Launches to Support Our Hometown
By Mel Yokoyama
Mālama Kaʻū Foundation, a new community-centered 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Mel Yokoyama, Jr., has officially launched with a mission to bring opportunity, job training, and local support to the Kaʻū District.
Mel was raised in Pāhala and attended Pāhala Elementary School from kindergarten through 6th grade and later graduated from Kaʻū High School, Class of 1988. After high school, Mel joined the United States Navy, serving more than 28 years with combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as commanding a Naval Aviation squadron and the Navy’s largest research and development command on the West Coast. When he retired as a Navy Captain (O-6) in 2020, he started the foundation to give back to the community that shaped him.
Mālama Kaʻū Foundation is led by a board of directors made up entirely of Native Hawaiians verified through the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Hawaiian Registry Program. The board helps guide programs and keeps the focus on community impact.
The foundation is funded through several small for-profit small business subsidiaries it owns. As Native Hawaiian-owned companies, these subsidiaries are eligible for sole-source government contracts, meaning the work is awarded directly without open public bidding. When the subsidiaries earn profit, the funding returns to the foundation, which then channels it into local programs, including: scholarships for Kaʻū students, job and career skills training for youth and adults, and support for schools and cultural community events.
As part of its community commitment, Mālama Kaʻū Foundation is proud to have been a Diamond-level sponsor for the 2025 Kaʻū Taro Festival, honoring Kaʻū’s culture, food, traditions, and families.
“I was shaped by mentors — in Kaʻū, in the Navy, and now in business,” Mel Yokoyama said. “Their guidance built my foundation. Now we’re paying it forward, turning that knowledge into ladders for the next generation of builders and leaders in Ka‘u.”
We encourage Kaʻū residents who have ever thought about starting their own company to take the leap. Our foundation is here to support the people of Kaʻū.
