Hawaii Foodbank braces for drop in SNAP benefits

More than 80,000 low- income households in Hawaii are poised to see a reduction in their food stamp benefits as a pandemic-era program aimed at preventing Americans from going hungry comes to an end.

The loss of extra government financial assistance, coupled with record-high food prices brought on by inflation, has left the Hawaii Foodbank bracing for an increase in demand.

“We have been very, very concerned about what is going to happen this month,” said Amy Miller Marvin, president and CEO of Hawaii Foodbank. She said the hunger relief organization is looking to increase food distribution at some locations.

For nearly three years during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hawaii households that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP or food stamps, were allowed to receive the maximum monthly benefit regardless of income. In Hawaii that translated on average to about $200 extra a month per household, said Marvin.

The reduction will be significant for many families. The estimated monthly benefit in regular SNAP assistance for a family of three in 2023 is $586, according to the Center on Budget an Policy Priorities. The enhanced benefit boosted that amount to $740.

In Hawaii the final SNAP emergency allotment will be sent out in mid-March. While the number of households receiving SNAP varies by month, in January the total was 83,445 households, according to Scott Morishige, administrator of the state Department of Human Serv­ices’ Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division.

DHS stressed that regular SNAP benefits will continue and said it sent out nearly $5 million in additional SNAP benefits Tuesday to assist 26,342 eligible children through a separate program called Keiki P-EBT. The extra $215 per household in SNAP funds is a one-time payment, but a DHS spokesperson said that it will help families with children who are set to see a decrease in their emergency allotments after March.

Congress enacted the enhanced SNAP benefits as the country was reeling from the impacts of shutdowns and lost jobs during the early months of the pandemic. Hawaii’s economy was hit hard, with the unemployment rate soaring to 21.9% in April 2020 as the tourism industry collapsed and government lockdowns and restrictions sent the local economy into a free fall.

Food drives across the state began drawing huge numbers of people seeking assistance. In Honolulu, thousands of cars lined up for food giveaways as volunteers handed out staples such as bread, potatoes and produce.

Marvin said that while the long lines of cars waiting to get in to locations such as Aloha Stadium are gone, the Hawaii Foodbank is serving 50% more people than it did prior to the pandemic. She said the numbers began to tick up about six months ago.

“We’ve seen people over and over who have never had to ask for help before,” she said. “So these are folks who work; sometimes they work two jobs. They’ve always been able to make ends meet, but we think it is a combination of inflation, specifically around food prices.”

She said that prices for groceries in Hawaii are 24% higher than they were three years ago.

“It’s making it harder and harder for people to put food on the table. Energy bills are up. The gas bill is up,” she said.

Marvin said that rather than with food donations, local residents can help most by providing financial donations to the Hawaii Foodbank so that it can purchase food in bulk at discounted rates. For example, the relief organization has a container of frozen chicken on its way that it was able to buy for 75 cents a pound, compared with $4 a pound at major retail stores.

Volunteers to help inspect and distribute food are also appreciated, she said.