Nearly 16,500 Hawaiʻi residents could lose their SNAP benefits and more under a new rule change proposed by the Trump Administration

A proposed change to the federal food assistance program could affect thousands of Hawaiʻi residents if it goes into effect as proposed.

After a 50-year career in public interest law and advocacy, Hawaiʻi Appleseed co-director Victor Geminiani announced on Wednesday that he will retire Aug. 31.

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.

The coalition of state, county, faith-based and social services organizations is setting its priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

A $766 million investment over a decade could house the 1,700 chronically homeless individuals across Hawaiʻi and save the state $2 billion in healthcare costs.

Low participation in summer meal programs robs the state of more than a million dollars a month in federal reimbursements for the meals.

While the Department of Education provides meals on summer school campuses, other efforts are afoot to deliver food to non-school venues.

A new report by the Food Research & Action Center shows Hawaiʻi near the bottom in terms of serving an after-school supper to low-income students.

Hawaiʻi would save $32.7 million on public assistance programs between 2018 and 2032 if lower-income retirees save enough to increase their retirement income by $1,000 more per year.

Several bills in the Legislature would protect or resurrect aspects of the federal Affordable Care Act.

Similar measures died in the legislature the past three sessions. Let’s get it right in 2018.