Latest news with #HawaiiFoodbank
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawaiʻi Foodbank giving keiki free meals this summer
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Looking for free meals for your keiki this summer? Hawaiʻi Foodbank has you covered. Hawaii Foodbank expecting cuts from federal funding as need continues to grow Sun Meals and Kaukau 4 Keiki, Hawaiʻi Foodbank's summer programs for students, are making a return this summer, providing free food for students when school is not in session. 'For many households, school-provided meals are a critical resource that helps families make it through each school day. But for families and children facing hunger, summer can mean up to 90 days without their most consistent source of food,' said Hawaiʻi Foodbank President and CEO Amy Miller. 'These programs help to fill that gap. By providing free meals for students throughout the summer, we hope to take some of the stress off both keiki and their parents to ensure everyone is able to come back healthy and ready to learn in the fall—and reach their full potential in the future.'Sun Meals will be holding various meal sites across the island with no registration required. The locations and times are listed here: Linapuni Elementary1434 Linapuni St, Honolulu, HI 96819 June 3 to June 27, closed June 11Lunch: 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wahiawa Elementary School1402 Glen Ave, Wahiawa, HI 96786 June 9 to June 30 (closed June 11) July 14 to July 25 Lunch: 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Salt Lake Elementary1131 Ala Lilikoi St, Honolulu, HI 96818 June 18 to July 10, closed July 4Lunch: 10:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. The Shelter47-323 ʻAhuimanu Road, Kāneʻohe, HI 96744 Thursdays: June 12, 19, 26, July 10, 17Lunch: 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Waimānalo Emergency Shelter41-490 Saddle City Road, Waimānalo, HI 96795 June 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26; July 1, 8, 10, 15, 17Lunch: 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. City & County of Honolulu at Kualoa Regional Park49-479 Kamehameha Hwy, Kāneʻohe, HI 96744 (Campground A)June 20, 21, 27, 28; July 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26 Friday Supper: 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday Lunch: 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Liliha Public Library1515 Liliha St, Honolulu, HI 96817 Every Friday for eight weeks of summer, excluding July 4Lunch: 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Kaukau 4 Keiki will allow parents or guardians to pick up weekly meal boxes for each of their children at six different distribution sites starting June 2 through Aug. 1. Each box will contain groceries to prepare seven days of breakfast and lunch for one child, including fruits and vegetables, proteins, milk, fresh produce, bread and more information, visit the Hawaiʻi Foodbank's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kokua Line: How is Hawaii Foodbank coping with federal cuts?
Question : I've been reading about how food banks are struggling across the country because of federal budget cuts () and I wondered how the local food bank is doing. Are there specific things they need ? Answer : The Hawaii Foodbank is down to a roughly two-week supply of food, when it normally has at least a three-week inventory, and is counting on state and city grants and private donations to help fill the gap caused by the loss of millions of dollars worth of high-quality meat, fish, cheese, eggs and other food previously funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, president and CEO Amy Miller said in a telephone interview Wednesday. As for what the Foodbank needs, monetary donations are best, she said, because the nonprofit organization stretches those dollars by purchasing in bulk at a discount. 'We love all our food drive partners and any food drive is helpful, but you don't have to donate food to participate, ' she said. Adele Yoshikawa, the Hawaii coordinator of this Saturday's Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, concurs. Postal customers can leave nonperishable food donations in their mailboxes for U.S. Postal Service carriers to pick up, or they can text 'NALC ' to '71777 ' for a link to donate money directly to the Hawaii Foodbank, which can use it to buy whatever is needed, including fresh vegetables and fruit and other perishable food that can't be donated Saturday. Go to for details. 'Offering the community a monetary donation option is a 'win-win' proposition. It's so much easier for our customers. It also enables us to maximize the impact of customer support for those in need, ' Yoshikawa, a Pearl City letter carrier, said in statement. 'In the past, a customer may have used $20 to purchase and donate one 25-pound bag of rice. But that same $20 donated virtually can be used to purchase 240 pounds of food, or 25 entire meals !' The National Association of Letter Carriers' event, billed as the nation's largest one-day food drive, is held annually on the second Saturday of May. Donations go to food banks in the cities and towns where they are made. For those who prefer to donate nonperishable food rather than money, postal customers should place the items in their mailbox, or, if there's too much food to fit, greet the carrier with the donation, Yoshikawa said. It's OK, but not preferred, to leave a note in the mailbox with instructions, such as to pick up a bag of canned goods by the front door. Nonperishable foods high in protein, such as canned tuna, salmon, beans and peanut butter, are most needed. Volunteers are needed Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. at the Pearl City Post Office to box up the donated food. Each volunteer must wear covered shoes and submit a liability waiver. To volunteer, contact Yoshikawa by phone at 808-351-4095 or email at adeleyoshikawa @ 'This can be a great way for school kids to do community service projects and we will give them a volunteer letter confirming that they helped, ' she said, adding that people don't need to stay the whole six hours. Miller said donations are appreciated as the Hawaii Foodbank copes with the elimination of a specific category of federal funding that had provided a total of about $4 million worth of food last year to food banks throughout Hawaii, including the Oahu facility. The funding had served a dual purpose, buying commodities from U.S. farmers and providing nutritional food to needy people through local food banks. 'From this funding channel last year we had received frozen chicken ; cheese ; fresh eggs ; hazelnuts ; frozen fish ; frozen pork chops … so lots of great proteins ; high quality, high-cost items, ' she said. Before the funding cuts, USDA commodity foods accounted for about 20 % of the Hawaii Foodbank's stock, she said. 'So our inventory is down, as the need is rising. I don't want to panic anybody. We are working hard (to fill the gaps ) but it is a challenge for sure, ' she said. With nearly one in three Hawaii households experiencing food insecurity, the Hawaii Foodbank is now serving nearly as many people as it did during the height of the pandemic, she said. 'We're seeing lots of new people who have never used a food bank before ' but can't keep up with the rising cost of living. Read more at. Q : I received two texts from the Department of Motor Vehicles. They say 'your toll payment for E-Z Pass Lane must be settled by May 7, 2025. To avoid fines and the suspension of driving privileges, kindly pay by the due date.' Is anyone else receiving these texts ? A : These are scam texts—they are not actually from the DMV. Yes, other people are receiving them. Do not respond to the texts or click on any links within them. Delete them and block the senders. Mahalo I would like to thank Gwen and Bob for paying my lunch bill at Anna Miller's. This grateful senior citizen really appreciates it very much.—Dennis------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawaii Legislature pumps up nonprofit grant funding
Hawaii nonprofits stand to receive a lot more grant funding from the Legislature this year due to expectations of federal aid cuts by President Donald Trump. State lawmakers gave final approval to two bills Wednesday through which up to $80 million is being directed to, or set aside for, charitable organizations statewide. Over a third of the funding, $30 million, is to be distributed to 121 nonprofits through the Legislature's annual grants-in-aid program, which is the same sum distributed in 2024 but down from about $40 million in 2023 and $49 million in 2022. But because legislators and nonprofit operators fear cutbacks in federal grants to charitable organizations this year, an additional state grant fund was approved in Senate Bill 933 with $50 million to be distributed to nonprofits that are adversely affected by federal grant decisions and may apply for funding later this year if the bill becomes law. 'We are responding to a very special need, ' Rep. Daniel Holt, chair of the Legislature's Subcommittee on Grants-in-Aid, said Thursday. Prior to Trump administration moves to reduce or cut off funding for a wide variety of nonprofit endeavors, Hawaii charitable organizations were already seeking more state funding support with applications mostly submitted in January. This year the Legislature received 402 grant-in-aid applications, up from 322 in 2024. Applicants this year sought $192 million to help fund operations or for capital improvement projects or both. 'It just shows the need that the community has out there, ' said Holt (D, Sand Island-Iwilei-Chinatown ). Of the $30 million approved for this year's grants-in-aid program, the biggest grant is $800, 000 for a Hawaii Foodbank solar power project. The smallest grant is $10, 000 for Hilo-based Hua o Lahui, which teaches how to make stone adzes and carve Hawaiian canoes. The nonprofit, which also teaches filmmaking as part of its canoe production work, primarily tries to serve Native Hawaiians but also veterans, active military service members, first responders and the general public. Grant-in-aid awardees are typically nonprofits but also can be for-profit businesses if the funding is for a public purpose. Most organizations are involved in health care, social services, arts, education, environmental stewardship and culture. Applicants often receive less than they seek because lawmakers generally want to help as many applicants as they can with a limited pool of money. It is not uncommon for nonprofits that seek grants-in-aid awards to also rely on federal funding. Aloha Harvest applied for a $200, 000 grant to help it carry out its mission to feed the hungry with food that businesses including grocery stores, farms, distributors and restaurants do not plan to sell. The organization was approved for $140, 000 but noted on its Jan. 16 application that a $195, 010 federal grant was pending. Hawaii Foodbank said March 27 in written testimony on SB 933 that critical federal funding represents about 20 % of its revenue and comes primarily through U.S. Department of Agriculture program contracts administered by the state. 'We are working hard to understand the implications of changes that are happening with federal funding and federal programs for our families and neighbors facing hunger—as well as our network of hunger-relief partners, ' wrote Amy Miller, the organization's president and CEO. 'Looking ahead, if all federal funding were to stop (excluding food ), we could face a potential loss of $3.8-5 million in revenue.' Close to 80 nonprofit organizations expressed thanks and encouragement for an early draft of SB 933 before any amount of money was proposed for use. 'This critical financial bridge comes at a time when the federal administration is putting millions of dollars at risk with on-again, off-again federal funding freezes in grants and contracts to Hawaii's nonprofit organizations, ' Melissa Miya shiro, president and CEO of the Hawai 'i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, said during a Feb. 26 Senate Ways and Means Committee hearing shortly after lawmakers converted a blank bill to provide grants after this year's legislative session ended Friday. The alliance, known as HANO, in written testimony cited estimates stating that as many as 250 nonprofits in Hawaii received as much as $300 million to $400 million in federal grant and contract funding in the 2023 fiscal year. HANO also said the nonprofit sector makes up nearly 12 % of the state's workforce, which if significantly displaced could cause major negative economic impacts. Senate President Ron Kouchi (D, Kauai-Niihau ) said at a Wednesday news conference that the number of Hawaii nonprofits that have great missions and do great work unfortunately have financial needs that outstrip what the state can provide. Kouchi said it will be hard to prioritize 'because $50 million will still be far short of what they need, but that's what we could set aside.' Several members of the House of Representatives on Wednesday objected to or raised concerns about the final version of SB 933, which was produced Friday by a conference committee of three House members and three senators. The conference committee determined the $50 million appropriation sum and decided that two House members selected by House Speaker Nadine Nakamura (D, Hanalei-Princeville-Kapaa ) and two senators selected by Kouchi as Senate president would make all award decisions not subject to public meetings. Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto (D, Ala Moana-Kakaako-Downtown ) voted to pass the bill but took issue with four legislators having total discretion for awarding $50 million. 'Although I'm really excited about the end use, I want to make sure that we're providing more transparency and more accountability for the selection process, and I just think that taxpayers may want more input, more accountability when it comes to allocating the $50 million, ' Iwamoto said before voting. Rep. Dela Au Belatti (D, Makiki-Punchbowl ) also voted for the bill with support for the appropriation but raised the same concerns as Iwamoto while going further to say the bill does not comply with House rules or the Hawaii Constitution requiring that decisions on matters referred to a legislative committee shall be open to the public. 'This is constitutionally deficient, ' Belatti said of the bill. The full House voted 44-5 to pass SB 933. The no votes were from five of eight Republicans in the House : Reps. David Alcos, Diamond Garcia, Lauren Matsumoto, Christopher Muraoka and Elijah Pierick. The bill passed the Senate 23-2, with two of three Republican members voting no : Sens. Brenton Awa and Samantha DeCorte. At a Wednesday news conference after the bill passed, Nakamura said the Department of the Attorney General was involved in producing the final draft of the bill. Holt said Thursday that the setup for grant decisions under SB 933 is similar to a scaled-down version of the grant-in-aid program, and he's confident that whoever is appointed to the evaluation and selection committee will make virtuous decisions. SB 933 and the budget bill, House Bill 300, containing the grant-in-aid program appropriations are still subject to consideration by Gov. Josh Green, who can sign them into law, let them become law without his signature or nix the appropriations with vetoes. TOP AWARDS Thirteen nonprofits were selected this year for legislative grant-in-aid awards of $500, 000 or more :—Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaii—Blood Bank of Hawaii—DIGS—Elepaio Social Services—Hana Health—Hawaii Foodbank Inc.—Hooulu Lahui—Kauai Economic Opportunity Inc.—Lanakila Pacific—Makiki Christian Church—Papakolea Community Development Corp.—Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific—West Hawaii Community Health Center Inc.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawaii Foodbank expecting cuts from federal funding as need continues to grow
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Hawaii Foodbank is hoping for the best but preparing for the worst if it takes a hit from federal budget cuts possibly affecting thousands of residents. What you need to know about volunteering at your local foodbank It may look like business as usual at the Hawaii Foodbank warehouse, but there is concern. 'We are continuing all of our work, we're continuing to get food in communities, we're continuing our purchasing, but we are being thoughtful to ensure we're, every dollar that we spend is being used as efficiently as possible and making contingency plans for the future,' said Amy Miller, Hawaii Foodbank President & CEO. A $1 billion cut in the USDA will likely cut $2.3 million in federal funding for the Hawaii Foodbank and that's just for now. 'That's a program that this island, islands need,' said Sen. Kurt Favella, (R) assistant minority floor leader. 'Foodbank going be losing these kinds of funding and opportunities to be able to get food, it's gonna cause a big, big problem in rural and underprivileged areas.' Officials said the foodbank receives about 20% of its budget from federal funds, receiving about $6.6 million worth of food from federal assistance last year. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The worst part is that the need is reaching critical levels. The foodbank services 170,000 people in the state per month, up about 13% from last year and more than double the amount pre-pandemic. State lawmakers are ready to help, but there is good and bad news. The good news — there is a bill that would provide emergency funding for any non-profit, like the Hawaii Foodbank, to get state funds if their federal funds are cut. The bad news — lawmakers expect a lot of groups will need help. 'We may not be able to help everybody, so we're going to have to prioritize based on real needs, health and wellness, public safety, and things that are extreme critical importance,' said Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, (D) Ways & Means committee foodbank said it is fortunate the local community has always stepped up to help in times of need. But even it knows it'll have to start doing more with less. 'Our number one commitment is to the folks that we're serving,' said Miller. 'We wanna be sure that nobody goes without and they know they can count on Hawaii Foodbank and our community to put food on the table at night.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local residents already stretched thin brace for tariff impacts
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Experts predict higher costs for goods in the coming months due to tariffs for Canada and Mexico and officials said it's not good for locals struggling to make ends meet. Since COVID days, Central Union Church passes out free food every Wednesday to those in need with the help of the Hawaii Foodbank. Honolulu's $3.93 FY 2026 budget: Big investment, no tax hikes 'The food they give us really helps,' said Midge Wright, a Honolulu resident. 'They give a lot and it's good things too. And then we share with others.' 'What's nice is it's not just for people on food stamps. It's for everyone, so anyone can come,' said Brandy Withrow, Honolulu resident. 'It just really helps to stretch out the cost of food.' The church said it usually hands out about 600 bags, but recently that number's gone up to about 800. 'Like for all of us, food prices are so high now, so I think just everybody needs whatever they can get,' said Joanne Matsumoto, Central Union Church Thrift Store Manager. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'They're seeing that people are list shopping right now, coming into the stores and only buying what's on the list or instead of buying two or three snack items, they may be buying one right now,' said Tina Yamaki, Retail Merchants of Hawaii. Prices are expected to get higher once the effects from tariffs kick in, forcing many to tighten the budget elsewhere by possibly bargain hunting at the church's thrift shop. 'I think for some people it is budget, and that's why we offer the $1 clothes and sometimes we put a lot of free things out there because we know that's what people need,' said Matsumoto. All items here at the Central Union Church thrift shop are donated. If you'd like to donate, you can drop it off during store hours, every Wednesday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 6 things to know about POTUS aim to curb protest freedoms on college campuses Goodwill Hawaii also hopes to keep its donations flowing in. It says during tough times, customer counts usually increase, and donations decrease because people keep items for longer. 'That's when the community needs those donations the most to have alternative items in the retail sector to purchase at a more affordable rate,' said Katy Chen, Goodwill Hawaii President & CEO. 'So we really implore the community to please come out and donate, help your neighbor during these times.' Goodwill Hawaii accepts donations at all its locations across Hawaii. 'We don't know when it's going to end,' said Yamaki. 'We don't know how long this is going to take place. And when it does end, are the tariffs going to be rolled back? Or the prices?'With an uncertain future, every little bit helps. 'It's a blessing,' said Withrow. 'It's a blessing to all of us so thank you God.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
