Community Service

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Food For Thought provides backpacks filled with easy-to-make meals so children can focus on their development and education, not where the next meal is coming from. Public schools provide breakfast and lunch for children, but what happens in the evenings or on the weekend? This is where we begin.

Ohana students support Food for Thought by helping provide healthy meals to children and families in need. Through hands-on service, students learn the value of compassion and the importance of fighting food insecurity in their local community.

ALAQUA ANIMAL REFUGE

Alaqua Animal Refuge is a no-kill animal shelter and sanctuary, located in the panhandle of Florida. As the Southeast’s premier 501(c)3 refuge and sanctuary, Alaqua believes that every abused, neglected and homeless animal deserves a second chance.

Since its inception in 2007, Alaqua has become a recognized leader in animal rescue, welfare, cruelty prevention, and advocacy in our region, state and around the country.

Partnering with Alaqua Animal Refuge gives our students the opportunity to care for rescued animals while learning about advocacy, responsibility, and the impact of protecting vulnerable lives.

CARING & SHARING OF SOUTH WALTON

Caring & Sharing of South Walton provides crisis relief to our neighbors in need through financial assistance, food, counseling, and case management.

By volunteering with Caring & Sharing of South Walton, Ohana students contribute to clothing drives, food pantries, and support services for local families, developing empathy and a deeper connection to their community.

EARTH DAY AT OHANA INSTITUTE

Each year, we celebrate Earth Day with a tradition that brings our entire school together — a bike ride along the scenic 30A to kick off the day. This annual ride reminds us to slow down, connect, and appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds us.

From there, students roll up their sleeves with hands-on projects like beach and campus clean-ups, tree plantings, and other efforts to give back to our community and our planet.

At Ohana, Earth Day isn’t just a date on the calendar — it’s a commitment we renew every year to care for the Earth we all share.

Community Service at Ohana begins at home and reaches far beyond our campus.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, Ohana students, teachers, and families came together to support first responders and neighbors in need, helping establish Hope Panhandle through hands-on relief and organized emergency support. That same commitment to service continues today through ongoing trips to our sister school, CREA, in Nicaragua. There, students roll up their sleeves to paint libraries, deliver resources, and engage in cultural and language immersion, while Ohana teachers partner with and train Nicaraguan educators in STEAM. Through shared work, connection, and mentorship, students learn that service is an essential part of who we are.

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