HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawai‘i Foodbank is launching emergency food distributions across O‘ahu as the state faces one of its worst hunger crises in years.
The move comes as the ongoing federal shutdown threatens Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for more than 163,576 Hawai‘i residents. That’s more than 11% of the state’s population, and it’s a 5% increase from 2024.
The Hawaiʻi Foodbank said that nearly one in three households in Hawai‘i now struggle with food insecurity. With thousands of federal employees, service members and contractors missing paychecks, the pressure on local food systems is growing fast…