Gov. David Ige has extended a COVID-19-related emergency period for additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in Hawaii, citing a still-significant need to address food insecurity in the state.
On Friday, Ige signed a third emergency proclamation, which extends the flow of federal pandemic relief funding to SNAP through Sept. 20. The emergency supplemental payments to Hawaii residents remain significant, Ige said in a news release.
“Many Hawai‘i families continue to suffer from food insecurity as they struggle to provide food for themselves and their families because of the effects of the pandemic,” Ige said in the release. “Without additional support from SNAP, families may experience food insecurity, which poses a threat to the health, safety and welfare of our communities and constitutes this emergency declaration.”
In June some 171,000 people in Hawaii received additional benefits tied to about $18.4 million in federally authorized SNAP emergency allotments to address food needs, the emergency proclamation said. On average, there have been about 171,400 SNAP recipients per month this year in Hawaii, according to the state Department of Human Services.
At first glance the numbers seem to indicate a recovery from increased food insecurity fueled by the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, but that’s not necessarily the case.
“More people have gone back to work, and that affects eligibility (for SNAP),” said Daniela Spoto, director of anti-hunger initiatives at Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice. “Issues of inflation, there’s still supply chain disruption and food is more expensive than ever, and that’s not addressed by SNAP.”
Eligibility for the federal program is based on a household’s gross income and provides financial aid for low-income families. The emergency supplements began in March 2020.
Since Jan. 1, SNAP interview requirements for new applications and renewals have been waived, which DHS said helps process cases in a timely manner.
Suzanne Skjold, chief operating officer of Aloha United Way, in a statement said, “This expanded access to SNAP is important because it provides a bridge to families who would have been ineligible, but who can now receive extra dollars in their household budget that can make the difference between running out of food or being able to stretch the budget through the month.”
