COVID-19 budget moves out for passage, but not without controversy
The allocations of the federal aid money drew criticism from social service agencies while the process of adopting the budget measure, using a method called gut-and-replace, riled others.
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.
Social service workers rally at state Capitol
Lawmakers say they will use $635 million in CARES Act funds to assist the unemployed and local businesses, but advocates say it’s still not enough.
Nonprofits urge lawmakers to quickly commit federal funds to cope with social needs
The Working Families Coalition released a plan to distribute $362 million including CARES Act funds to help families with rent, food, healthcare and more.
Hawaiʻi’s food security shaky heading into hurricane season
Almost all food the state of Hawaiʻi consumes comes through the Port of Honolulu, and there is currently no redundancy in the event of an emergency like a hurricane.
Strengthening Hawaiʻi’s food systems: keeping kupuna fed
Disaster preparedness experts have worried for years about Hawaiʻi’s food security. The COVID-19 disruption has made kūpuna particularly at risk for hunger.
Hawaiʻi’s food insecurity an urgent problem
Lawmakers and others should be taking a hard look at short-term fixes as well as long-term solutions for food insecurity.
Hawaiʻi updates: senior hunger and isolation concerns emerging
Many seniors face food challenges from mobility issues to dietary restrictions. And there’s another factor that’s increased in recent months: social isolation.
A dream deferred: A week after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the war on the poor continues
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to allow the Trump Administration to enforce a rule which makes it harder for poor immigrants to be granted green cards or visas.
Civil Cafe 2020 legislative preview rehashes minimum wage, homelessness
While it is terrific that state legislators acknowledge that the cost of living is out of reach for most Hawaiʻi residents, it is also clear that the proposed $13 an hour is not a “livable wage.”
Name in the news: Daniela Spoto, Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s anti-hunger director
In a just-released report, the nonprofit’s assessment of the problem is illustrated with three pillars: access to resources, health and nutrition, and community resilience.
Hawaiʻi’s economy will benefit from a higher minimum wage
Opponents can only make disingenuous arguments that rely on irrelevant information.
Hawaiʻi low-income earners could lose aid under proposed federal SNAP rule change
The rule would prevent Hawaiʻi—with its high cost of living—from waiving federal income and asset requirements to qualify for SNAP.
PHOCUSED joins forces with Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center
Together, the organizations will jointly pursue policy changes that benefit Hawai‘i’s most vulnerable populations.
Trump policy could have far-reaching effects on Hawaiʻi’s immigrant population
The public-charge rule has been a lightning rod in the national debate over immigration with critics accusing Trump of pushing racist policies that discriminate against immigrants.
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
High costs make Hawaiʻi’s poverty rate higher than U.S. average
New census data shows that the poverty rate is down from last year but that Hawaiʻi residents still struggle with the high costs of housing and other necessities.
Longtime social justice champion celebrates well-deserved retirement
Victor Geminiani, a longtime champion for Hawaiʻi’s poor and vulnerable, retires.
Trump Administration proposal threatens SNAP benefits for thousands of Hawaiʻi residents
A proposed change to the federal food assistance program could affect thousands of Hawaiʻi residents if it goes into effect as proposed.
Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center founder-exec director to retire
Hawaiʻi Appleseed announces the retirement of Victor Geminiani, its co-founder and longtime executive director, after a 50-year public interest law career.