Proposed cuts to food stamps program could be ‘horrific’ in Hawaiʻi
Under Republican proposals, Hawaiʻi could face more than $100 million in new costs to maintain the food stamp program.
Wins for food access and low-income families at the 2025 legislative session
While there’s still more work to be done, this year’s wins have laid the groundwork for a future in which food access is treated as a right, not a privilege.
State passes a bill to expand free school meal access
The bill, SB1300, will go into effect with the upcoming 2025-26 school year and will cover students whose family income is not more than 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
Child advocates, parents discuss bill to expand free and reduced meals for Hawaiʻi keiki
A community forum was held Saturday at McKinley High School to discuss a senate bill that would expand access to free and reduced-price meals for public school keiki.
State officials discuss expansion of free school meals
SB1300 would require the state DOE to appropriate funding for meals for students who come from households classified as “asset limited, income restrained, employed,” (ALICE).
The price of hunger: Navigating the cost burden of free meals for Hawaiʻi students
Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s “Equity on the Menu” shows a cost estimate of $26 million per year. This would be 1.2 percent of the Hawaiʻi DOE’s overall annual budget, set this year at just over $2 billion.
Legislative deadline looms over universal free school meals bill
A bill to provide universal free school meals in Hawaiʻi is once again in jeopardy at the state Legislature.
Enthusiasm surrounds measure to provide universal free school meals
Thousands of students already take advantage of programs for free or discounted meals, but access often depends on a family’s income. Many students in low-income families need the support but can't get it.
Hawaiʻi sees first school meal reimbursement rate increase in 40 years
A long awaited boost to federal child nutrition program funds announced by the US Department of Agriculture in February, is now flowing into the state.
USDA raises meal reimbursement rate for Hawaiʻi’s kids
While the new rate is still less than half of what advocates wanted, it’s been met with praise in Hawaiʻi.
State gets more funding for school lunches
Hawaiʻi will receive an additional $8 million annually to help provide school lunches for keiki.
Rate increase will bring in $8 million per year to feed Hawaiʻi’s keiki
The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week announced that Hawaii’s reimbursement rates for school lunch and other federal child nutrition programs will be increased by 13 percent.
Every keiki needs a (healthy) breakfast
It is up to all of us to ensure that our keiki have the nutrition they need to be academically successful and healthy. We need to all work together in our communities to make this happen.
How to encourage healthy diets and support local agriculture
Nutrition incentive programs like SNAP help stretch budgets and put good food on tables.