“We could be losing anywhere from $20 million to $30 million per year in federal funding,” said Daniela Spoto, director of anti-hunger initiatives at Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice. “That's money that could be going towards other important education expenses, teacher pay, pre-K programs.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reimburses school districts nationwide for nutrition programs at a per meal rate. Hawaiʻi’s rate was set back in 1979 and has not been changed since—except to adjust for inflation, the report said.

That means many schools and organizations must rely heavily on grants and donations, as well as the state, to make up for the shortfall.

“Supply-chain disruptions, the cost of inflation, the cost of gas, the cost of housing, everything is coming to such a head right now,” Spoto added.

“And we're losing programs—in particular the out-of-school mealtime programs—the organizations that for summer meals or after school suppers or things like that are just dropping out because they can no longer afford to offer these programs.”