Inside the push to make school meals free in Hawaiʻi
A growing number of states are looking for ways to make free meals a permanent part of public education.
‘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.
Nonprofits team up to curb hunger with new national funding
The four Hawaiʻi nonprofits are among 13 new partners in MAZON’s Emerging Advocacy Fund, a nationwide effort to support and expand grassroots anti-hunger work in the states most impacted by food insecurity.
Safeway register donations power school breakfast program
During the month of September, donations will be used by Hawaiʻi Appleseed to improve access to and quality of school breakfast for children across the State of Hawaiʻi.
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.
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.
Hawaiʻi’s federal child nutrition funding is outdated and insufficient, report finds
Federal reimbursement rates for child nutrition programs in Hawaiʻi do not currently reflect the high cost of living, a new report found.
A pandemic program that fed schoolchildren last summer is now in jeopardy
The USDA is in the middle of examining its reimbursement rates for school meals in Hawaiʻi, but its findings aren’t expected to be released for a few more years.
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.
Report: Hawaiʻi missed out on $200 million in federal funding to feed children since 2000
This discrepancy stems from a federal analysis that hasn’t been updated since 1979, according to the report.
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 kids could lose access to free meals at school with end of federal funding
Public school students have been eligible for free breakfast and lunch during the pandemic through a program that is set to expire in June.
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.
Pandemic fuels spike in childhood obesity in Hawaiʻi
Nearly one in six children between the ages of 10 and 17 are obese in Hawaiʻi, marking a significant increase from four years ago and fueling concerns about the impact that COVID-19 restrictions and school closures have had on the health of the state’s youth.
Fundraising campaign kicks off next week to help fight child hunger
An annual fundraising campaign kicks off next week to help fight child hunger and expand participation in free breakfast programs at public schools.
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.