A new policy brief from Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice highlights how Hawaiʻi’s four counties can continue to step up to combat food insecurity statewide as federal nutrition programs face funding cuts.
Data in the brief showed that food insecurity was reported by 43% of households on Hawaiʻi Island, 41% in Maui County, 32% on Kauaʻi, and 25% on Oʻahu.
The brief also mentions that county action is not a solo effort, but in coordination with state and federal programs.
Genevieve Mumma, food policy analyst at Hawaiʻi Appleseed, told Aloha State Daily, “It is very important that while the counties are doing everything they can to improve food security on our Islands, that statewide support through funding of similar and supportive programs continue, while continuing awareness of federal dollars that can be utilized by the counties and state.”
According to the brief, there are five areas in which counties should shift their focus:
- Disaster Preparation and Planning: Developing multi-agency feeding plans for wildfires, storms, or economic disruption (see Hawai'i County).
- Summer Feeding Programs: Leveraging county Parks and Recreation Departments to sponsor Summer Food Service Programs that help feed keiki when school is not in session.
- Kūpuna Feeding Programs: Funding meals for seniors via home delivery, food boxes or pickup sites with support from Area Agencies on Aging.
- Direct Support for Food Banks: Setting up recurring county funding to food banks (see Maui County).
- Program Innovation: Passing resolutions for universal free school meals, creating local food purchasing incentives, and increasing outreach for federal benefit programs like SNAP.
There is always a need for sponsors and community partnership, Mumma told ASD.
“From this research, [it] has been interesting and inspiring to see just how involved the counties have been in listening to community to develop their food access plans,” she said. “The food access plans are very vast and cover everything from biosecurity to food access, and it is really exciting to know that county governments are paying attention to the needs of the community and exploring all the ways they can reach the people on our Islands.”
Mumma added, “Hawaiʻi Appleseed recently presented the preliminary findings of this brief to the Honolulu City Council during the Energy, Environment & Sustainability Committee meeting because of interest from Chair Matt Weyer, with examples from Maui Councilmember Gabe Johnson. We plan to share this with all councilmembers so our elected officials are aware of the various approaches and programs advancing food security across the counties.”
Hawaiʻi Appleseed Deputy Director Daniela Spoto said in a recent statement that there is both warning and opportunity in this overall message.
“We are seeing a serious destabilization of our foundational food safety nets, and yet we have these county programs that have been quietly filling local needs that could be doing even more with just small strategic investments. With their closer focus on community needs, counties can build a more resilient, local food security infrastructure that protects our most vulnerable residents now and in the future.”
Click here to read the brief, “County Leadership in Combating Food Insecurity: Seizing Local Levers in Uncertain Times," in full.
Hawaiʻi Appleseed is committed to a more socially and economically just Hawaiʻi, where everyone has genuine opportunities to achieve economic security and fulfill their potential, its website notes.
For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.
Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
