Future Grindz

Future Grindz is a pilot program with roots at the All Kaina Grindz food truck in Upcountry Maui.  Owned by ʻOhana Kaina-Doyle,  All Kaina Grindz sells delicious platters using authentic flavors from locally grown sources.  Partner Tanyaʻs vision to provide a wholesome program that raises young entrepreneurs in the food service industry, and using cultural values in a modern business setting.

Programs like these often produce strong foundations for successful outcomes.  Interested to see how the program is working for its pilot cohort, I stopped by to interact with the teen-entrepreneurs to see how they do it.  

 

I was astounded at how well the peers worked together, without being given direction.  Each of them knew their business well enough to know how to operate around and between the crowds.  Their customer service was amazing, and they carefully adjusted orders when customers had special requests.

Fully organized in service deployment, the team quietly keeps things going during busy times and sings while completing task-lists during downtime.   Future Grindzʻ  Shae-lyn Cardoza says of the program,  "The program has opened my eyes to the possibilities in my future and has taught me through experience and connection."  - June 27, 2020

 

The mother-daughter duo Deb Kaina & Tanya Kaina Doyle teach a cohort of five teenager apprentices this year.  With hopes to grow the program, they inspire the teens to utilize creativity to build their futures.  Every Friday the teens make food that a local nonprofit picks up to deliver to kupuna in the community.

When I interviewed Tanya, I asked her what inspired the birth of Future Grindz.  She expressed to me that she simply saw a need.  "See the need, fill the need,"  was her exact words.  "Real life, real job skills.  Our teens today need grounding space to grow culturally and in their behaviors. Schools teach academics, I teach life."   I received and understood Tanyaʻs expression quite well.  At such an impressionable age, a teenagerʻs life is at a constant risk.  Socially, there are a plethora of negative influences out there to bait our youth to make a mistake that could possibly change their life forever.  In keeping them busy and teaching the cohort how to perform on the job, behaviors that succeed, critical thinking, accountability and other skills crucial to success, Future Grindz prepares these teens to enter adulthood.  

Tanya talks to Carmen Kubas at meal
delivery time, in the heat of the day.

Above: the local food truck also supports local agriculture
Below: All Kaina Grindz basic menu

The Future Grindz program also organizes their own fundraisers and has recently succeeded in raising over $250 to help with school lunch programs, that will be distributed through Mauiʻs Friends of the Childrenʻs Justice Center - who recently lost their biggest annual fundraiser to the season of Covid-19 and is wondering how to raise enough funds to continue effective measures of assistance to meet the needs of Mauiʻs families for the transition back to school.  

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For more information on how you can become active in any of these community initiatives,  please continue below:

• Future Grindz - Kupuna meals: monetary & food donations can be brought to the All Kaina Grindz food truck on Friday mornings at 11am.  
• Friends of the Childrenʻs Justice Center: please click this link to make your monetary donation

Candidates: Deb Kaiwi & Rynette Keen
Chilis on Wheels: Nicole Huguenin
visit Future Grindz to learn more
about the program