Lawmakers are keeping pressure on DOE for school meal plans
Farmers and ranchers see an opportunity for ongoing collaboration.
Tap more child nutrition, school-lunch subsidies for isle keiki
The “Feed Our Keiki” report finds that the federal school meal reimbursement rates for Hawaiʻi currently should be 62% higher than other states, but it has been stuck at only 17% higher since 1979.
Hawaiʻi missed out on $200M in federal funding for school meal programs, report says
The Hawaiʻi Appleseed study found that federal programs meant to reimburse organizations that feed Hawaii’s children have not taken into account more than 40 years of increases in local food costs.
Report: Federal funding flaw shortchanges Hawaiʻi’s school nutrition programs
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education is paying tens of millions of dollars to feed Hawaiʻi school children due to a flaw in the funding method used by the federal government, according to a report.
Hawaiʻi’s keiki nutrition programs facing financial crisis
The state is missing out on tens of millions of federal dollars each year to provide meals for needy children.
Hawaiʻi schools are buying less local food during the pandemic
Despite new legislation requiring public schools to serve student meals with more local ingredients, advocates say they are frustrated by a regression in local food initiatives.
Bill would expand DA BUX food program
The measure is intended to provide low-income people easier access to healthier food choices and to help local farmers and ranchers.
State must help provide food security
This may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to pivot toward the kind of food system we want for Hawaiʻi’s future.
Let’s not roll back on Hawaiʻi schools’ healthy lunch strides
We need to stand up to the Trump Administration’s misguided attempts to weaken nutrition standards.
SNAP benefits in jeopardy under Trump proposal
Nearly 16,500 Hawaiʻi residents could lose their SNAP benefits and more under a new rule change proposed by the Trump Administration
Double Up Food Bucks pays dividends beyond feeding needy
Advocates are backing a bill to provide state money to bolster the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program when its funds are spent on local produce.
Let’s Talk Food: School lunches in Hawaiʻi
The DOE is increasing local food in student meals as well as connecting our keiki with the ʻāina using local products from the agricultural community.
How to encourage healthy diets and support local agriculture
Nutrition incentive programs like SNAP help stretch budgets and put good food on tables.
It takes everyone to bring fresh local food to keiki
Under the ʻĀina Pono initiative, schools are serving nutritious meals using locally sourced ingredients.
69 public schools offer free summer meals. But most kids don't claim them
Low participation in summer meal programs robs the state of more than a million dollars a month in federal reimbursements for the meals.
When it comes to school breakfast, we can do better
Research shows that when students eat school breakfast they have lower rates of obesity and improved attendance, behavior and grades.
Hawaiʻi schools celebrate farm to school week
From Oct. 2 to 5, students at Kohala public schools will enjoy delicious, fresh cooked meals that will feature local ingredients such as Big Island ground beef, apple bananas, sweet potatoes and pineapple.