WAIMANALO — A new community co-op is using the Internet to sell locally grown food and giving the profits to youth organizations in Waimanalo, creating a system that will enrich the area and keep the money home.

The Waimanalo Market, which offers organic and nonorganic farm produce as well as other food items, kicks off its first market day on Saturday. Orders can be made now until Wednesday at www.waimanalomarket.com.

The market is the brainchild of Waimanalo residents Kehaulani Padilla and Jody Green, who want to promote economic development and healthy eating habits as they support local farmers and youths.

"We're all volunteers," said Padilla, 57. "Nobody is getting paid for this. All of the profit from this virtual market will go back into the community to support our nonprofit youth organizations."

Ordering produce in advance and online is not new but other services are concentrated in wealthier communities such as Hawai'i Kai, Kailua and around Diamond Head.

Waimanalo Market is the first of its type for Waimanalo and is operated by a cooperative of community members. Customers also have the option to pick and choose products that will be available on the day of pickup in Waimanalo.

For those who like to squeeze their papaya or other fruit, the market will allow personal selections, Padilla said. "You can pick the one that goes into your basket."

Healani Chang, from Papakolea, has already placed her order and looks forward to getting the vegetables and fruits she wants without having to wake up early to beat other shoppers heading for the farmers market, where fresh produce is available.

"I'm excited about this because usually I miss all the farmers markets because I get there too late and the good stuff is gone," said Chang, 52. "So just knowing that my order is going to be ready and I can come a little later, that's a real grab for me."

She said she also likes the convenience of ordering online and then being able to leisurely stroll through the baked goods. "Now I can go and see what looks 'ono knowing that my bag is ready for me to go."

The popularity of farmers markets is catching on, said Green, who helps with the operation of the Waimanalo Market. Residents want locally grown food and Green hopes that will encourage farmers to grow more. But a sure sign of change is at the grocery store, she said.

"You see a lot of 'local grown' signs and all of a sudden the big stores are getting it," Green said. "People are looking to putting their money back into the state as opposed to buying something from California."

Several farmers and producers have signed up with the market, including Otsuji Farm, Nalo Farms, Mahiku Farm and University of Hawai'i students in the Sustainable & Organic Farm Training program, a student-managed farm.

The market gives the students an opportunity to not only grow the food but get involved in entrepreneurship training, said Ted Radovich, a UH specialist in sustainable and organic farming systems.

His students are growing organic bananas, herbs, sweet potatoes and tomatoes in Waimanalo at the UH Experimental Station.

Radovich said the students are also helping to bring organic food to a neighborhood that doesn't normally have access to that kind of food.

"One of the things I was particularly attracted to (with) the Waimanalo Market is the clientele," he said. "Some of these farmers markets are very high-end. They're in Kailua, Hawai'i Kai and Kapi'olani Community College for a reason. Having something more accessible to the broader range of population is something this particular market had in its heart from the beginning."