Wins for food access and low-income families at the 2025 legislative session
While there’s still more work to be done, this year’s wins have laid the groundwork for a future in which food access is treated as a right, not a privilege.
Why is SNAP failing Hawaiʻi residents?
It’s time for the state to invest in a more resilient, independent social safety net system that can keep working families going regardless of chaos at the federal level.
Hawaiʻi’s keiki are still waiting for universal free school meals. The time to act is now.
Research shows that consistent access to nutritious meals improves both academic performance and long-term health. Yet, in 2023, 6 percent of Hawaiʻi households with children had one or more children go a whole day without food.
Community participation during 2024 legislative session highlights pressing nature of food insecurity in Hawaiʻi
1 in 3 Hawaiʻi households experienced food insecurity last year, underscoring the urgent need for robust policy interventions to ensure that all residents have access to adequate and nutritious food.
Hawaiʻi is last in the nation for serving after-school suppers to low-income keiki
Finding ways for more programs to serve after-school suppers can provide financial support to these essential programs as well as reduce childhood hunger in Hawaiʻi.
Bringing support for Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s mission of justice and equity to a virtual space
Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s 10th annual “Artists for Appleseed” fundraiser will be our first to take place in a virtual space.
Appleseed provides language access to second round of P-EBT benefits
Hawaiʻi Appleseed has created and published a series of multi-lingual infographics to assist families in need, many of whom speak a primary language other than English.
Feed our keiki, fuel our future: help fight hunger in Hawaiʻi
Making a donation at the register when you check out of any Safeway store on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu or Hawaiʻi Island will support our work to help students continue to receive free, healthy meals at a time when many families are struggling more than ever before.
Hawaiʻi drops to 44th in the nation in children’s summer meal participation
The drop means that 123 fewer children in Hawaiʻi received meals through summer lunch programs in July 2019 compared to July 2018.
Free grab-and-go meals for keiki expands to Molokai
A partnership of nonprofit and government organizations that provides free healthy grab-and-go meals to keiki has expanded to Molokai.
P-EBT: Pandemic benefits for Hawaiʻi families to buy food
There’s a valuable new benefit available for Hawaiʻi families with children who are struggling to buy food. It’s called Pandemic-EBT, or P-EBT.
Community sites expand free meals for keiki through the summer
With several new sponsors and sites now on board, the community sites are now serving well over 5,500 children and youth per day.
Community partnership doubles free keiki meal capacity
Nine new sites will open at Kamaʻāina Kids preschool locations in Honolulu, Kāneʻohe, Kailua, ʻEwa and Mililani on Oʻahu, as well as in Kahului on Maui.
Community partnership will serve free meals to keiki during school closure
Five sites will be open on Prince Kūhiō Day when Department of Education sites will be closed.
Appleseed COVID-19 response will focus on assisting state in managing social safety net programs
During this crisis, Appleseed’s concern lies with the working families and children of Hawaiʻi.
Trump’s Public Charge rule could cost Hawaiʻi tens of millions in revenue
The financial cost of the rule change is in addition to the harm done to the health and resilience of immigrant families through the “chilling” effect on benefits-use that has already been documented in Hawaiʻi.
Whole Foods Market’s 5% Community Giving Day will expand access to meals for children
For keiki who rely on free and reduced-price school meals to get a healthy start, Whole Foods Market’s donation to Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s school meal expansion efforts will have life-altering implications.
“Occupy Hunger,” urges food justice advocate Andy Fisher
Our current system of addressing hunger in the U.S. overlooks the root causes of food insecurity—inadequate wages and community disinvestment.
Protecting SNAP benefits for Hawaiʻi’s working families and seniors
The Trump Administration is floating a proposed rule change that would take away food assistance benefits from struggling families.
50 years in the fight for equal justice
Victor Geminiani, founding director of Hawaiʻi Appleseed and career advocate for low-income and underserved communities, will retire on August 31, 2019.