Bill aims to keep more kupuna eligible for SNAP benefits
Seniors whose eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits has been lost or reduced by a recent increase in Social Security benefits could see relief through a bill introduced by Hawaii U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda last week.
Hawaiʻi food insecurity persists post COVID-19
Even as Hawaiʻi distances itself from the harshest effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-hunger advocates say that elevated food insecurity among residents has not only persisted but is growing.
VIDEO: Anti-hunger leaders join ‘Spotlight Hawaiʻi’
Hawaiʻi Food Bank CEO Amy Miller Marvin and Daniela Spoto, Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s director of Anti-Hunger Initiatives, joined the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s “Spotlight Hawaiʻi.”
‘People are really struggling:’ Hawaiʻi food banks scramble to meet increased demand
Rising food costs and the end of pandemic-era assistance programs are driving a spike in demand for food assistance.
As prices soar, top Democratic candidates for governor support relief from tax on groceries
Hawaiʻi Appleseed said a tax revenue boost must be paired with the tax cut to ensure key services aren’t cut. The organization suggested raising the capital gains tax or increasing tax on the wealthiest earners.
Inflation is forcing some Hawaiʻi families to change the way they shop for groceries
Economists agree this rising trend won’t go away anytime soon—that’s concerning for food banks and nonprofit organizations that help low-income and working class families.
Hawaiʻi legislature 2022: smart spending could help big problems
The legislature has money available for almost any policy initiative imaginable, and every member of the house and senate is up for reelection.
Why are more people than ever receiving food stamps in Hawaiʻi?
A historically high enrollment in the food stamp program is part of a broader increase in the need for public services during the pandemic.
The pandemic has transformed how aid groups help elderly in need
Federal COVID-19 relief funds helped local groups coordinate outreach to better serve kupuna who were often isolated during the pandemic.
Hawaiʻi sees ‘startling’ increase in number of children facing hunger
Even as benefits programs expand and school meal programs shift, food insecurity is expected to continue to grow in the islands.
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 offers more food stamp flexibility amid record participation
Most SNAP applications are now processed online and members can now use their EBT cards to make online purchases for pick-up at select Walmart locations.
Legislature considers increasing minimum wage amid pandemic
Advocates argue that raising the minimum wage will not only help workers make ends meet, but also stimulate the local economy.
Minimum wage hike up to timing
Hawaiʻi’s high cost of living, makes a minimum wage increase vital for low-income workers, including many who have been on the pandemic’s front lines.
As economic pain of pandemic widens, need for food stamps soars
The number of Hawaiʻi residents receiving SNAP benefits has risen from about 155,000 last year to 179,000—a 15.4 percent increase.
No rest for the homeless: Bill would ban sitting almost anywhere on Oʻahu
City and state officials say housing is the answer to homelessness. But criminalization can be more politically expedient.
Sowing seeds of service
“Our work is to bring all these different sectors together and create lasting solutions and changes.”
Not politics as usual
To address socioeconomic inequality, Hawaiʻi’s decision-makers need to come up with an effective problem-solving process so stakeholders can come together to achieve concrete solutions.
How new, agile networks of people are helping Hawaiʻi
Uplift Hawaiʻi describes itself as an economic recovery platform bringing together organizations, individuals, coalitions and other COVID-19 recovery initiatives.
Hawaiʻi legislature prepares to conclude, transparency advocates cry foul
Hawaiʻi’s 2020 legislative session was hallmarked by social distancing measures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 that may also have disenfranchised the public.