A turning point for SNAP: Strengthening local supports for Hawaiʻi households

Following some of the largest cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in history, it has become increasingly clear that the once reliable social safety net is no longer as stable as it once was. 

The recent federal shutdown has offered a troubling preview of what a world without consistent SNAP benefits could look like: Families faced uncertainty while service providers scrambled. These events have underscored the need for strong, coordinated systems in place to support food access, independent of the federal government. 

SNAP is more than just a hunger-prevention program. It plays a dual role in Hawaiʻi’s communities, benefitting low-income individuals and food retailers twofold. Every dollar spent in SNAP dollars circulates within our local economy, generating revenue for businesses and the state at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other food retailers, all while keeping our most vulnerable populations fed.

The recent 43 days of government shutdown made one thing obvious: if SNAP falters, we need a reliable backup plan if we are to keep local families from going hungry. Fortunately, during this period, state agencies, counties, and community organizations stepped up in creative ways, utilizing existing reserve funds to build temporary supports—showing us programs that could work alongside or even without federal funding.

What this experience has shown us is that Hawaiʻi is capable of stepping up to care for our people, even in the absence of federal support. There are multiple pathways for the state to ensure food security that are more locally responsive than the federal system has become. We can (and should) continue to work within the existing system. But we can also start to create pathways outside of current federal programs, with direct and indirect food assistance. 

1. Strengthen Access Within the System

Despite federal destabilization of SNAP, it is still the largest and most critical public benefit program in the state, bringing in an unmatched $730 million in benefits in 2024. While we can never fully replace that level of support, there are targeted improvements that could help more people access benefits. 

• Pre-Release Waiver Enrollment: Building off of momentum from multiple bills introduced in 2025, the state could implement a prerelease waiver that allows eligible incarcerated individuals to apply for SNAP benefits before release. This ensures that benefits are activated immediately or very soon after individuals return to the community.

• Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP): Continuing where SB961 (2025) left off, the state could make this streamlined process a requirement. This would make it easier for seniors to apply and recertify for SNAP. For Hawaiʻi’s kūpuna population, implementing ESAP is one of the simplest ways to reach more kūpuna who are eligible but still aren’t enrolled, or those who face recertification barriers because of the difficulty and frequency of the process.

By modernizing and simplifying our existing systems, we can help ensure that the people who need SNAP the most actually receive it.

2. Provide Direct Assistance Using Existing Resources

• Direct assistance on EBT cards: During the federal shutdown, Hawaiʻi acted rapidly in distributing an emergency benefit of $250 in food assistance, by leveraging the existing Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system. The Hawaiʻi Emergency Food Assistance Program (HEFAP) helped households bridge the gap created by the pause in federal SNAP funding, which could be the blueprint for a state-funded food assistance program that supplements SNAP. 

• Assistance with housing and other basic needs: Similarly, in response to the shutdown, the Hawaiʻi Relief Program was quickly assembled to support families with children facing financial hardship. Using $100 million in federal funds, this program was able to strategically leverage the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) reserves to provide up to four months of assistance with housing and utility payments, distributed through non-profit community partners. While application of TANF funds is limited in scope, this model shows how the state can work with community partners to distribute targeted relief to support broader groups not only in moments of crisis but in blue skies as well.

• County-level support: Maui County has been exploring the idea of implementing a county-wide ALICE initiative through Maui United Way, which would help pay for rent, utilities, groceries, medical, dental, gas, school supplies, childcare, vehicle registration, and basic needs. This “Kamaʻaina Credit” program would support working households who are considered Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE).

3. Expand Nutrition Incentives for Local Food Access

The strategies mentioned thus far work by increasing a household’s overall spending power. However, families remain vulnerable in a globalized economy where food prices are tied to forces far beyond Hawaiʻi’s control. Hawaiʻi’s reliance on imported food already saddles working families with some of the highest food costs in the country, but global shocks can add volatility and uncertainty to an already hard-to-manage food situation.

Hawaiʻi’s DA BUX program operates by doubling the value of SNAP dollars when they are spent on local fruits and vegetables. It tackles the affordability problem directly by lowering the actual cost of specific, nutritious items that families want and need. Expanding this model to residents who aren’t SNAP-eligible could open up the program to those who might be considered ALICE, but are just above the income threshold for SNAP. 

And of course, by targeting local produce this program strengthens our local agricultural sector, helping local farmers while improving food access for all. 

Hawaiʻi has an opportunity to build a more resilient, community-driven food system—one that protects families regardless of federal uncertainty. By strengthening local programs and investing in state-led solutions, we can ensure every household has the stability and support needed to thrive.