At Mālaʻai, the mission is clear: to cultivate connections between people, land, culture, and food in school gardens. This vital work extends beyond the soil—it reaches into classrooms, communities, and homes, fostering a healthier and more engaged future for Hawai‘i’s keiki (children).
But behind every thriving garden and meaningful lesson is an administrative backbone that ensures everything runs smoothly. MonkeyPod has partnered with Mālaʻai to take some of that administrative burden off their plate so they can focus on the boots on the ground work and spend more time in the garden.
For Mālaʻai, the ability to streamline operations means more time dedicated to hands-on, place-based learning. Zoe Kosmas, the former Executive Director and current Culinary Garden Director for Mālaʻai, explains it this way: “The more streamlined and organized the back end can be, the more we're able to show up for our people on the ground and for our constituents.”
Having the right tools in place provides Zoe and the team with peace of mind, ensuring that essential information is housed safely and accessible when needed.
Relationships are at the heart of Mālaʻai’s mission, and keeping track of donors and supporters is a crucial part of sustaining their work. Before using MonkeyPod, managing donor information meant sifting through multiple spreadsheets. Now, all of that information is centralized and easily accessible.
“I can just type a name into my MonkeyPod and their whole profile comes up,” Zoe shares. “It saves a lot of time and makes me feel more connected.” This streamlined approach means no one falls through the cracks, allowing the organization to foster stronger, lasting relationships with their supporters.
For executive leadership, having a clearer picture of financial records and organizational data is invaluable. “I’ve really appreciated having better access to seeing our records,” says Zoe. With MonkeyPod, working alongside a bookkeeper has become more seamless, offering better transparency and control over accounting and administrative tasks. This newfound clarity allows Mālaʻai to focus on long-term growth and sustainability.
To learn more about how Mālaʻai is using MonkeyPod to enhance its mission, check out the video below. You can hear from Zoe about how MonkeyPod is making a difference in the day-to-day operations and future goals of the organization.
Want to see how MonkeyPod can support your mission? Schedule some time with our team to learn more.