With the release of our Tides Collection, we wanted to try something new and if you’ve checked out the Collection, you might already know what that is.

Something we love about the community we’ve grown with our brand following is how dedicated you all are to supporting our family owned business. We love how we are all building something together. As a customer and supporter of our brand, you are spreading spirit of aloha, which we truly believe is something that can enrich lives in incredibly beautiful ways. You all inspire us to not only level up our products with every collection through all of your feedback, but to do better as a business with influence.

For all of our Tides Collection pieces, they were designed with inspiration from our 'aina - 'Hawaiian Islands' and created to celebrate its culture, history & beauty. In an effort to preserve and protect both our 'aina and Hawaiian culture, a portion of every piece sold in this collection will be donated. Together, with the spirit of aloha, we can accomplish incredible things and make an impact in helping our local Hawai’i community.

In consideration of so many amazing local causes, we came to the decision of donating to both Project Hawaii and Oahu Land Conservation. We are so excited to be sharing in helping out these causes with you!

1. Project Hawai’i

Project Hawaii kids

“The mission of Project Hawai'i Inc. is to help our islands keiki (children in Hawaiian) break the cycle of poverty. Since 2003, our dedicated volunteers strive to enhance their lives by providing year round supportive services that help to build their self-esteem and learn the proper life and social skills to succeed. We are able to change the children's lives by providing a sense of stability through our holiday events, school support, educational training and monthly outreach.

In addition, our award winning summer educational program has allowed our homeless children to be first generation to graduate high school and attend college.

We provide our services and outreach to over 1,600 individual homeless children throughout the year across the islands of Hawai'i Island, O'ahu and Mau’i. Our nonprofit organization is fully staffed by volunteers and solely supported by public donations.

Our keiki live in poverty stricken situations and substandard housing spread across the islands. Some live along the waters’ edge in tents or high in the mountains in abandon cars or substandard makeshift shelters. Most live without running water or electricity and often go to bed without having a single meal. Many live without the simple basics of a blanket for warmth or a pillow for comfort. 

The state has over 23,000 homeless children living in substandard situation. This has caused our state to be NUMBER one in the nation for 5 years running for having the most unsheltered children per capita.

Project Hawai'i reaches out to the hidden and isolated children to assure they are not left out of services. We strive to serve those who cannot obtain access to other resources available.”

When researching organizations, our hearts dropped reading about how many families and children are impacted by homelessness, especially knowing it was happening so prominently in our own community. The testimonials of the families and children who have been shown love by Project Hawaii are beautiful. I suggest reading these testimonials to really paint the best picture of the real, tangible, good this organization is doing. If the devastating events of 2020 have shown us anything, it’s that life is hard - but even more-so, that we can be resilient as individuals and a powerful force when we work together. By contributing to this organization with every item in our Tides Collection, we hope to help to aid then in expanding their current programs, including but not limited to: “duplicating their summer programs for Maui island children, creating Spring Break programs to help children more often when school is out, having Winter Break programs to alleviate the long break from stimulation and lack of nutritious meals, opening teen centers across the islands, and opening a summer camp facility of their own that can operate year round for other services.”

To contribute to Project Hawaii outside of supporting our latest Tides Collection, you can volunteer and donate directly. 

2. North Shore Community Land Trust

Waimea valley

North Shore Community Land Trust strives to protect, steward, and enhance the natural landscapes, cultural heritage, and rural character of ahupua‘a from Kahuku Point to Ka‘ena on the North Shore of Oʻahu. North Shore Community Land Trust was founded by a grassroots group of community members in 1997 as a non-profit organization concerned with protecting and restoring the scenic beauty of the North Shore. With approximately 60,000 acres of agricultural land, roughly 30 miles of shoreline, and numerous Native Hawaiian cultural sites, this area is incredibly important, not only to its abundant plant and wildlife, but also to its residents and visitors. It is known for its world-renowned recreational opportunities, from surfing and sailing to hiking and snorkeling.

Since our founding, we have helped to conserve and steward thousands of acres of coveted open space – forested hillsides and coastal farms, naupaka-shaded beaches and coconut groves, grassy meadows and wind-swept vistas – in one of the world’s most cherished, desirable, and culturally significant locations.”

When choosing a second organization, we especially wanted to contribute to something that would aid in conserving the natural beauty of our islands and the local ecosystems. The North Shore Community Land Trust has been heavily involved in saving thousands of acres of land, desirable from the real estate market, by using funds from private donors and state and federal agencies to purchase these coveted open spaces and secure the natural legacy of the land.

While the North Shore Community Land Trust has been a huge contributor in so many conservation efforts, one in particular that stands out to me is permanent protection from development accomplished for 634 acres of coastal land by Kawela Bay, Turtle Bay, and Kuhuku Point. The land here encompasses one of the last wild shorelines on O’ahu - it’s irreplaceable and because of the joint efforts of the North Shore Community Land Trust among many others, it will be protected and preserved for years to come - “providing nesting reas for threatened Hawaiian green sea turtles and near threatened Laysan albatross, birthing and resting areas for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, and open waters for migrating whales just offshore in the crystal-clear ocean.”

By contributing to the North Shore Community Land Trust with every item in our Tides Collection, we hope to help to aid then in preserving the natural beauty of our home island. If you are interested in contributing to this organization further, we encourage you to volunteer for their monthly restoration efforts or donate

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Our team at Love Fitness Apparel is incredibly humbled by the opportunity to use our influence to make positive change and aid our community. The donations made by us to these organizations will be ongoing with every sale and every restock of our Tides Collection pieces. Mahalo nui loa for being a part of this positive change with us!

UPDATE: We've made our first of many donations THANKS TO YOU!! 

April 26, 2021 — Laura Colantonio

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