Off the News: Doubling up on food bucks

With the pandemic’s economic fallout continuing to leave many households food-insecure, state lawmakers are rightly supporting a measure that expands the scope of Hawaii’s participation in the national Double Up Food Bucks program.

Currently, Double Up doubles the value of SNAP (federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits used to purchase Hawaii-grown produce. Under Senate Bill 512, healthful proteins are added to the shopping list, and a set daily cap on Double Up purchasing is lifted.

It all adds up to a double win — low-income families get to eat healthfully, and farmers get an economic boost.