Column: Expand free school meals, because all keiki deserve to eat
Nearly 1 in 3 households with children struggles to put food on the table. For these children, school meals may be the only balanced meal they get in a day.
Child advocates, parents discuss bill to expand free and reduced meals for Hawaiʻi keiki
A community forum was held Saturday at McKinley High School to discuss a senate bill that would expand access to free and reduced-price meals for public school keiki.
State officials discuss expansion of free school meals
SB1300 would require the state DOE to appropriate funding for meals for students who come from households classified as “asset limited, income restrained, employed,” (ALICE).
The price of hunger: Navigating the cost burden of free meals for Hawaiʻi students
Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s “Equity on the Menu” shows a cost estimate of $26 million per year. This would be 1.2 percent of the Hawaiʻi DOE’s overall annual budget, set this year at just over $2 billion.
Hawaiʻi families could face big price hike for school meals
Charging elementary and middle school students $4.75 for lunch would be a huge hit to working families, advocates say.
Hawaiʻi County Council could join call for free school meals statewide
A resolution introduced by the council said that Hawaiʻi Island has the highest rate of food insecurity in the state, but the issue is statewide.
Keiki Caucus introduces 2025 legislative package
Legislators and advocates identified five top priority issues impacting Hawaiʻi’s youth and families, including tax credits for household and dependent care services, funding for community schools, paid family leave, e-cigarette regulations, and universal free school breakfast and lunches.
Hawaiʻi lawmakers spent big on public schools this year
But education advocates said the Legislature did little to address problems such as school bus driver shortages, fire safety and the need for more preschool teachers.
Legislative deadline looms over universal free school meals bill
A bill to provide universal free school meals in Hawaiʻi is once again in jeopardy at the state Legislature.
Enthusiasm surrounds measure to provide universal free school meals
Thousands of students already take advantage of programs for free or discounted meals, but access often depends on a family’s income. Many students in low-income families need the support but can't get it.
More Hawaiʻi schools qualify for free meal programs but the state may not participate
Recent changes to a federal program could allow for a significant expansion of free school meals in Hawaiʻi, but it's unclear if the state will opt in.
Hawaiʻi sees first school meal reimbursement rate increase in 40 years
A long awaited boost to federal child nutrition program funds announced by the US Department of Agriculture in February, is now flowing into the state.
Lawmakers are keeping pressure on DOE for school meal plans
Farmers and ranchers see an opportunity for ongoing collaboration.
Bills to transform Hawaiʻi’s school meals die in Senate
The bills aimed to provide cheaper and more locally sourced meals to the nearly 170,000 public and charter school students in Hawaiʻi.
DOE hopes a $35 million kitchen in Wahiawa will improve school lunches and give farmers a boost
The DOE plans for a centralized kitchen concept but local advocates say it's better to increase cooking capacity at individual schools.
USDA raises meal reimbursement rate for Hawaiʻi’s kids
While the new rate is still less than half of what advocates wanted, it’s been met with praise in Hawaiʻi.
State gets more funding for school lunches
Hawaiʻi will receive an additional $8 million annually to help provide school lunches for keiki.
Rate increase will bring in $8 million per year to feed Hawaiʻi’s keiki
The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week announced that Hawaii’s reimbursement rates for school lunch and other federal child nutrition programs will be increased by 13 percent.
Inside the push to make school meals free in Hawaiʻi
Nutrition incentive programs like SNAP help stretch budgets and put good food on tables.
Free school meals for all Hawaiʻi students
As Hawaiʻi’s public school students begin to return to in-person learning, we are faced with a stark new reality: Many of them are hungry.