Progress on the plate: Food access wins from this session—and the work still ahead
During the 2026 legislative session, the state legislature could not ignore the growing pressures that Hawaiʻi families face when trying to access and afford food.
Remembering Victor Geminiani
One of Hawaiʻi’s most relentless advocates for people without a voice in the halls of power, Victor Geminiani devoted his entire career to securing the rights, and improving the lot, of the poor and the vulnerable. He died on June 10, 2026, at the age of 82.
When disaster strikes, who feeds us?
Only 15 percent of our food is grown locally; 30 percent of families remain food insecure; less than 12 percent of households are prepared for a disaster. This is not a collection of separate problems. It is one broken system.
One step forward, a few meals short
While the passage of Act 139 was a meaningful step toward free school meals, it was just that—a step. The work is not finished.
Taking policy local: how to shape county action on food security
Counties may not always be centered in the food security conversation, but they are some of Hawaiʻi’s most powerful leaders in combating hunger.
A turning point for SNAP: Strengthening local supports for Hawaiʻi households
Hawaiʻi has an opportunity to build a more resilient, community-driven food system—one that protects families regardless of federal uncertainty.
Kūpuna at risk: How federal changes to SNAP impact older adults in Hawaiʻi
Even within these new constraints, Hawaiʻi can innovate by combining or re-imagining existing programs to expand access and strengthen support for our seniors.
Can Hawaiʻi afford to cut the grocery tax?
Any proposal to reduce or remove the GET on food must be paired with a credible plan for replacing the revenue. It’s a challenge, but also an opportunity to build a fairer and more sustainable system.
The chilling effect: How federal cuts and immigration crackdowns threaten food security in Hawaiʻi
The mega budget bill that Congress recently passed narrows who can access critical programs like SNAP and Medicaid, while fueling fear and confusion about who can safely apply for assistance in the wake of increased immigration enforcement.
Hawaiʻi families deserve better: How federal cuts to nutrition programs will impact our state
With grocery prices still soaring and food insecurity on the rise, this is the worst possible time to shrink our nation's most important anti-hunger program.
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.
Proposed Trump tax cuts will overwhelmingly benefit the top 1 percent
As millions of Americans file their taxes this April, both the U.S. House and Senate have passed budget resolutions that open the pathway for a massive tax giveaway for the wealthiest people in the country.
As federal support fades, farm to families could fill the gap
Now, more than ever, investing in local food systems through programs like Farm to Families is a necessary strategy to build Hawaiʻi’s economic resilience and reduce food insecurity.
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.
Universal Free School Meals ensures every keiki thrives
5 reasons to support Universal Free School Meals in Hawai‘i
Lawmakers must do more to invest in Hawaiʻi regenerative agriculture
The success of sustainable agriculture in Hawaiʻi will be contingent on sizable government investments in both small-scale farmers and the agencies that serve them.
Appleseed agenda 2021: stop cuts, boost working families and the economy
Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s work during the 2021 legislative session focuses on the areas most critical to preserving the strength and stability of Hawaiʻi people, families and communities.
Native Hawaiian healing from white settler injustices and continued discrimination
Racial healing is no less urgent in Hawaiʻi than it is across the nation. We must advance solutions that support and restore Native Hawaiian self-determination.