Wins for food access and low-income families at the 2025 legislative session
While there’s still more work to be done, this year’s wins have laid the groundwork for a future in which food access is treated as a right, not a privilege.
Hawaiʻi’s keiki are still waiting for universal free school meals. The time to act is now.
Research shows that consistent access to nutritious meals improves both academic performance and long-term health. Yet, in 2023, 6 percent of Hawaiʻi households with children had one or more children go a whole day without food.
Universal Free School Meals ensures every keiki thrives
5 reasons to support Universal Free School Meals in Hawai‘i
How COVID-19 shaped Appleseed’s work in 2020
The year 2020 was a turbulent one, but it proved the power of Hawaiʻi’s greatest strength—its people.
Hawaiʻi is last in the nation for serving after-school suppers to low-income keiki
Finding ways for more programs to serve after-school suppers can provide financial support to these essential programs as well as reduce childhood hunger in Hawaiʻi.
Feed our keiki, fuel our future: help fight hunger in Hawaiʻi
Making a donation at the register when you check out of any Safeway store on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu or Hawaiʻi Island will support our work to help students continue to receive free, healthy meals at a time when many families are struggling more than ever before.
Hawaiʻi drops to 44th in the nation in children’s summer meal participation
The drop means that 123 fewer children in Hawaiʻi received meals through summer lunch programs in July 2019 compared to July 2018.
Free grab-and-go meals for keiki expands to Molokai
A partnership of nonprofit and government organizations that provides free healthy grab-and-go meals to keiki has expanded to Molokai.
P-EBT: Pandemic benefits for Hawaiʻi families to buy food
There’s a valuable new benefit available for Hawaiʻi families with children who are struggling to buy food. It’s called Pandemic-EBT, or P-EBT.
Community sites expand free meals for keiki through the summer
With several new sponsors and sites now on board, the community sites are now serving well over 5,500 children and youth per day.
Community partnership doubles free keiki meal capacity
Nine new sites will open at Kamaʻāina Kids preschool locations in Honolulu, Kāneʻohe, Kailua, ʻEwa and Mililani on Oʻahu, as well as in Kahului on Maui.
Community partnership will serve free meals to keiki during school closure
Five sites will be open on Prince Kūhiō Day when Department of Education sites will be closed.
Appleseed COVID-19 response will focus on assisting state in managing social safety net programs
During this crisis, Appleseed’s concern lies with the working families and children of Hawaiʻi.
Too many Hawaiʻi seniors are still going hungry
Although Hawaiʻi has made strides to address hunger in recent years, thousands of seniors are still at risk of experiencing hunger across the islands.
Whole Foods Market’s 5% Community Giving Day will expand access to meals for children
For keiki who rely on free and reduced-price school meals to get a healthy start, Whole Foods Market’s donation to Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s school meal expansion efforts will have life-altering implications.
50 years in the fight for equal justice
Victor Geminiani, founding director of Hawaiʻi Appleseed and career advocate for low-income and underserved communities, will retire on August 31, 2019.
Redefining poverty would throw millions off critical social support programs
A Trump Administration rule change would force millions of Americans off critical programs that help women, children and families meet their basic needs.
After school supper is a big missed opportunity in Hawaiʻi
Only 182 Hawaiʻi children benefited from after school suppers on an average weekday in 2017, according to a new report from the Food Research and Action Center.
School breakfast: building a solid foundation for learning
When you checkout at Safeway in September, you’ll have the option to donate to this important fundraiser to expand participation in school breakfast programs.