New Groups, Annual Survey, and Surf Lessons
Aloha,
Recently, Surfing Moms achieved a new milestone: for the first time ever, we have over 300 members nationwide!
We are also in the process of onboarding new coordinators in many groups. Welcome Lyla on Maui and Meredith in Hilo! We will also welcome new coordinators to the Oʻahu Westside/Leeward and La Jolla groups very soon. Our coordinators are the heart and soul of our organization, and we are so grateful for anyone who steps up in this role. We can’t wait to see you all blossom in this leadership role!
In the spirit of this season of growth, we’re stoked to announce a new group: Seacoast, Maine & New Hampshire!
We’re also in the process of onboarding a coordinator for North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Stay tuned!
Please email info@surfingmoms.org to get connected to Annie, the coordinator!
Annual Member Survey
It’s that time of year! Each year, we survey our members to understand how we’re doing, and how we can do even better. It also helps with grant reporting.
Please take some time to fill out the survey using this link. As a thank-you, five members will receive a $50 gift card to our online store! Please complete by October 15 to qualify.
A Rising Tides participant catches her first wave
Rising Tides Updates
Our Rising Tides surf lesson program is designed to get more moms in the water, and we have some exciting opportunities coming up!
We recently had a successful Maui event on September 18, and we’re headed to Oʻahu for October 11 for our next Rising Tides gathering. This event will be in partnership with Nurturing Wāhine Fund, with surf instruction provided by ʻOhana Surf Project.
And there’s more on the horizon! This fall, we’ll open applications for Maui mamas who would like to participate in an upcoming Rising Tides cohort. We also have some California opportunities percolating, so stay tuned for more details.
Mahalo to our Maui and San Diego groups for hosting tables at recent community events! Such a great way to spread the word about Surfing Moms and our programs.
Surfing Moms Spotlight!
Brooke is the co-coordinator of the Santa Cruz chapter.
She started surfing at age 4 and began competing at 13. She now has two children, ages 3 years & 5 months old. She surfed throughout her pregnancy! Her favorite breaks are The Hook, Malibu & Igors.
Brooke’s loves Surfing Moms because of the support and camaraderie from other moms who value the ocean & understand the wild, beautiful chaos of motherhood. “The ocean and beach have always been my home, where I feel the most regulated and myself. Surfing Moms has made it possible to return home to myself during the most transformative time of life.”
Brooke is known in her group as “a rock” and “a badass shred mama!”
Save the Date: Annual Retreat!
We’re heading to Maui’s Westside for the Surfing Moms Annual Retreat, and we want you there!
Join us May 13–16, 2027 at beautiful Camp Olowalu for three nights of surfing, connection, good food, and a little time to recharge with other Surfing Moms.
We’ll have six cabins, morning surf sessions, yoga, a lei poʻo workshop, an evening campfire, shared meals, and plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful Olowalu coastline.
More details and registration coming soon — save the date!
Our Ventura/Malibu group!
Last but not least, please join Surfing Moms Pacifica for this Coastal Care Imitative education session! Can’t wait to see you there.
Mahalo for following us and for your support! As always, please follow us on Instagram, consider donating on our website, PayPal, or Venmo, and email info@surfingmoms.org or just reply to this email if you want to connect.
Summer’s here! New merch & program updates
Aloha!
Summer’s here, and we’re ready for it! Some of our Surf Swap groups with colder climates are gearing up for summer swells, while our groups across the country are growing as the sun shines and the surf picks up.
Happy one-year anniversary to both the Pismo and the Hilo groups, who have built vibrant, supportive groups from the ground up! We’re so proud of the work our coordinators do to create community-supported spaces that nurture maternal health & well-being.
The Pismo group honors its coordinators for one year of amazing work
New Merch!
We’re so excited to announce the winner of our art contest, Surfing Moms member Sara Papirmeister. We were blown away by all the creativity shown by the participants, and grateful for every submission.
We have another fun offering: Father’s Day is coming up, and in honor of the Surfing Dads, we’ve put together a Surfing Dad t-shirt & hat for the dad that helps carry it all.
Shop our store here to see all our merch!
Program Updates
Coastal Care
This year, our Surf Swap groups are bringing environmental stewardship into our regular programming. Beach cleanups are a natural fit for our Surfing Moms, as parents demonstrate to their children how to nurture and honor the places that we use and love.
On Maui, the program kicked off with dozens of volunteers picked up hundreds of pounds of trash. Our next cleanup will be in Santa Cruz this coming Monday, June 8, World Ocean’s Day. Our Santa Cruz coordinators have a very special cleanup planned, in which they will be partnering with Save Our Shores and raffling off a ton of great prizes, including a custom surfboard from Homegrown Surfboards. Next up is Hilo on June 20, International Surfing Day, in partnership with Ka Ipu 'Āina.
More cleanups and environmental education workshops are planned for Oʻahu, San Diego, New Jersey, Florida, and California in the coming year, and we’re so excited to see what happens. Check out our new events page here for details.
‘Ohana-led coastal stewardship in action
Rising Tides
Thanks to our Mother’s Day fundraiser supporters and a grant from First Hawaiian Bank Foundation, Surfing Moms was able to provide ten vulnerable mothers with their first surf lesson in a safe, supportive environment. While their kids were cared for safely on the beach, these moms had the opportunity to experience the ocean, build confidence, and take time for their own well-being.
We have another surf lesson planned for June on O’ahu in partnership with the Nurturing Wāhine Fund, and we can’t wait to see the stoke and the movement grow.
For now, we're partnering with organizations across Hawaiʻi that already support mothers in meaningful ways. As our program continues to grow, we hope to expand these opportunities to every community where Surfing Moms groups gather, making supportive surf experiences accessible to even more mothers.
A Rising Tides participant surfs for the first time.
Mother’s Day Events
This past Mother’s Day, we celebrated across three islands with over 100 participants, opening our groups to families in the community and welcoming new members. We are grateful for the support of the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation to help us make it happen.
Families gather at a Surfing Moms Mother’s Day party
Surfing Moms Spotlight: Tess!
For the past few years, Tess, a Surf Swap coordinator, has worked to cheer on the Maui mamas in and out of the water. She has a generous spirit and goes above and beyond to help swap members pack in and pack out during meet ups, takes time to engage with everyone, and shows up for community events. She is an expert in environmental science and grant writing, and this year she hosted a grant workshop for the Surfing Moms group, sharing her gifts and teaching grant best practices. She loves surfing, is an amazing mom, and has brought so much fun and good humor to the Maui group.
A hui hou (until we meet again) to Tess, who is leaving her role to pursue a new life on the east coast, where we will surely see her creating a new and amazing group of mom friends.
Have a great summer!
Love,
Surfing Moms
Double your impact for moms this Mother’s Day 🌊
Mother’s Day is around the corner, and this year, we have a special opportunity to come together in support of mothers, families, and community.
An anonymous donor has offered to match every donation, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000! That means your gift goes twice as far.
This fundraiser will support Rising Tides: Surf Access Series, our new program focused on getting more moms in the water through surf lessons and community support. For many, it’s their first time experiencing the ocean this way, and it can be truly life-changing.
Here’s how you can be part of it:
Make a personal donation of any amount
Ask your partner, parents, or friends to give in honor of Mother’s Day
Create a social media fundraiser to share with your community
Check if your workplace offers donation matching (many do!)
Share this program with moms who might benefit
This isn’t just about giving, it’s about showing up for the mothers in your life and helping expand access to something truly meaningful.
If we reach the full match, we’ll unlock the entire $5,000 to support our programs. This means more mamas in the water and building community.
👉Donate here on our website
👉 Donate here on PayPal
👉 Donate here on Venmo
If you have any questions or want to get more involved, just reply to this email—we’d love to hear from you.
With gratitude,
Lantana Hoke
Executive Director, Surfing Moms
Annual Report, Art Contest, Surf Therapy Training & More
Aloha,
Big news: our 2025 Annual Report is here!
The first of many to come, our 2025 Annual Report gives a glimpse into what we accomplished last year, highlights from our current and past programs, and a look ahead at what’s to come.
Mahalo to all of our coordinators, supporters, and our members for making it all happen!
Click to read our 2025 Annual Report.
Art Contest!
Surfing Moms is excited to launch our first-ever (and hopefully annual!) 2026 Art Contest to design the official Surfing Moms t-shirt of the year! We are inviting all adult members to submit original artwork that reflects the spirit of Surfing Moms — community, strength, motherhood, empowerment, and our connection to the ocean.
The winning design will be featured on our official Surfing Moms 2026 t-shirt, and the artist will receive a free t-shirt with their design.
We have many talented artists among us, and we can’t wait to see what you come up with.
The contest launches April 1 and closes May 1. Check out guidelines and eligibility here.
Surf Therapy
Congratulations to seven of our Surfing Moms team for embarking on a new endeavor: Surf Therapy Training with Groundswell. This training just began and will go through October, and will provide an opportunity for our coordinators to deepen their facilitation skills in order to intentionally support maternal wellbeing and create safe, supportive spaces where moms can regulate their nervous systems and build connection.
Surfing Moms Spotlight: Delia!
Delila is the coordinator of the Hilo Surfing Moms group and continues bringing in more moms with welcoming arms. She’s thoughtful, funny, kind, supportive, and an incredible mom to her 2 beautiful boys.
Delila single-handedly started the Hilo chapter and dedicated every Saturday ensuring there was a surf moms meetup. In addition to managing all the coordination, start up, and administrative work, she also recruited and advertised for the chapter to get it going. Along with being an involved member of the island, she’s a role model and an amazing mother and person. She totally deserves to be recognized for her efforts and hard work and supporting the Surf Moms mission!
We love you Delila!
Coming Up
Mother’s Day Events
Big news! With grant funding from the Duke Kahanamoku Foundation, Surfing Moms will host a special Mother’s Day Open House Event on Saturday, May 9 on all O’ahu, Maui, and Hawai‘i Island, with hopes to expand our reach next year. Each location will gather for a beachside celebration, bringing together our members, welcoming prospective moms, and connecting with community partners to celebrate motherhood, support one another, and share the spirit of Surfing Moms.
Stay tuned for a formal announcement and invitation.
Beach Cleanups
Under our new program, Coastal Care Initiative, there will be beach cleanups happening in 14 places around the country this coming season. Stay tuned for details from your local coordinators.
Mahalo!
Surfing Moms Updates: WhatsApp, Jamba Juice, & More!
Aloha Surfing Moms Community!
In this newsletter:
WhatsApp transition
Nicaragua Retreat: Sign up Now!
Jamba Juice Hawaii x Surfing Moms meetups
Surfing Moms Spotlight
Surfing Moms Ventura is off to a sweet start!
WhatsApp Transition
Big news, ‘ohana: We’ve moved over to WhatsApp!
Over the past few weeks, our coordinators have been working hard to get everyone up to speed to join our new, private Surfing Moms Community on WhatsApp. From here on out, new members will be provided a link to join the community. The Mighty app will be phased out in the next few weeks and months as we complete the transition. This move will reduce barriers to entry and meet mamas where they are in terms of communication.
If you are a member and you want to get connected to WhatsApp, please log in to Mighty (one last time) to find the link, message your coordinator, or email info@surfingmoms.org. Please check that your membership is current here. If you want to join, follow this link!
Surfing Moms x Surf With Amigas Surf Retreat
If you’re on the fence about joining this summer’s Surfing Moms x Surf With Amigas surf retreat, this is your sign to commit!
This is the first time we’ve offered a retreat, and we’d love to do it each year if it’s successful. In order to be successful, we need to have about 9 more moms sign up to join us. Dates are July 4-11, 2026, and if you can swing it, it’s going to be amazing. Signing up before the end of March will let us know if we need to open the retreat beyond the Surfing Moms community.
As a reminder, the retreat will will include some fun Surfing Moms exclusive perks:
Surfing Moms Swag Bag with SM gear, towel, & surf goodies
Mom Peer Support Circles to discuss the highs and lows of parenting
Mindfulness & meditation for moms
Arts & crafts
and more!
The retreat will be limited to 15 mamas.
Cost (all-inclusive, excluding airfare):
Base price for room for 3: $2400
Room for 2: $2500
Private room: $2750
Sign up here!
Pacifica moms holding it down in wetsuit weather
The vibrant Pismo community
Jamba Juice x Surfing Moms in Hawaiʻi!
Surfing Moms is partnering with Jamba Juice! Jamba has offered to do a promotion with us, and moms & keiki in our Hawai’i groups will get smoothies and wellness shots.
This event is only open to Surfing Moms, so if you know anyone who’s been on the fence about becoming a member, this would be a good time for them to sign up!
Dates will be:
Big Island: February 14
Maui: February 15
Oahu: February 24
Surfing Mom Feature: Kelly of Treasure Coast!
Kelly is a power house of mom. She juggles a really cool job as a travel planner, surfing, motherhood, and so much more. She is such an asset to our chapter, prompting conversation and engagement, coming up with ideas, and welcoming everyone with open arms.
Want to nominate someone? Please fill out this form to nominate a mama who inspires you! Self-nominations are welcome!
Mahalo!