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.
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.
DOE improves free school breakfast program during pandemic
Hawaiʻi Appleseed has monitored the ranking for years, and has been working with the DOE to improve those numbers.
Hawaiʻi ranks 50th in low-income children participating in national school breakfast program
Some 25,559 low-income Hawaiʻi children participated in the School Breakfast Program during the 2019–2020 school year—or about 40 percent of those eligible.
Sowing seeds of service
“Our work is to bring all these different sectors together and create lasting solutions and changes.”
Program allows donations for grab-and-go meals
All through September, customers visiting Safeway stores in Hawaiʻi can donate to the annual Nourishing Neighbors fundraiser to support anti-hunger initiatives.
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.
New sponsors sought as free meals for Hawaiʻi kids drop for summer
Community programs are supplementing the Grab-and-Go program but they too are lagging behind last summer’s participation and may not be enough to meet demand.
DOE closing some food sites, advocates concerned that community help may not be enough
Nicole Woo, senior policy analyst with Hawaiʻi Appleseed, worries that other community groups may not be around this summer to pick up the slack.
Nonprofits from Waiʻanae to Kaneʻohe offer more free meals for keiki
The meals for children are to replace breakfasts and lunches they normally would receive if public schools were in session and not closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Nonprofits including YMCA offer free lunches to keiki on Oʻahu
Nonprofit groups are offering free grab-and-go lunches to children at various sites on Oʻahu to supplement those being offered at many public schools by the DOE.
Community groups offer free lunch to kids
The grab-and-go meals at a handful of sites around Oʻahu supplement the DOE’s own meal service which began this week while schools are closed.
Every keiki needs a (healthy) breakfast
It's up to all of us to ensure that our keiki have the nutrition they need to be academically successful and healthy.
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.
Report questions Hawaiʻi’s low enrollment rate in after school supper program
Tens of thousands of low-income kids in Hawaiʻi are eligible for free after-school suppers, but only 259 students were signed up to get the meals last year.
Hawaiʻi ranks last in afterschool suppers to keiki
Out of the 66,550 keiki who ate free or reduced-price school lunch in Hawaiʻi in 2018, only 259 also had an after school supper.
Corporate citizenship: companies giving back
On Oct. 17, 2019, 5 percent of proceeds from Hawaiʻi’s four Whole Foods Market locations will be donated to expand access to school meals for keiki.
Why Hawaiʻi kids can still be denied school lunches
A 2017 law required schools give students a grace period before withholding meals for those behind in their payments.
Hitting the road to stem summer hunger
On the Waiʻanae coast, the state DOE deploys a food truck to distribute free, freshly packaged meals to kids in need.
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.