#Food Security

The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW 480) announced its endorsement of Bobby Pahia for Maui County Council. “UFCW’s support reflects Pahia’s commitment to working families, food security, and the essential workers who help keep Maui fed every day,” according to the announcement.

The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resilience is asking farmers, home gardeners, landscapers and others across the state to complete a survey to strengthen efforts to control invasive fruit flies in Hawaiʻi.

The Hua Momona Foundation announces the third annual Maui Music & Food Experience on Aug. 21-22 at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa.

During the month of March, 3306 meals were delivered and 2346 meals were served on-site at Hale Kau Kau, no questions asked.

Maui Food Bank today announced that CEO Lisa Paulson will transition from her role effective April 15, 2026, as she prepares to relocate to the Washington, D.C. area to pursue opportunities focused on national advocacy.

Maui Food Bank has completed the purchase of an eight-acre parcel of land located at the corner of Kūihelani Highway and Waikō Road in Central Maui for $9.25 million. The property was acquired from Pacific Rim Land, Inc. dba Waikō Industrial Investment, LLC.

Ahead of the First Decking deadline on Friday, March 6, 2026, the committee passed priority bills focused on public benefits, social assistance, Medicaid, food security, and support for service providers assisting vulnerable populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness, kūpuna and keiki.

Maui’s ‘Oko’a Farms is one of 43 Hawai’i farms enrolled in the Transition to Organic Partnership Program, which is trying to help as many farmers as it can before the program ends this year, cut short by federal changes.

To help Hawaiʻi Foodbank meet rising demand across the islands, Matson has increased its support for Hawaiʻi families in need by adding 100 containers to its existing pledge of in-kind shipping services for 400 containers annually through 2027 to serve Hawaiʻi Foodbank’s program for purchasing and transporting large quantities of food from the continental US. 

Farmers and ranchers say prices have gone up after a year of Trump’s tariffs, making their operations even more costly on an island where everything has to be shipped or flown in.

The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity is now accepting applications for the popular Micro-Grant for Food Security Program. This is the fifth year of the grant program which provides support for small-scale gardening, herding and livestock operations to increase the quantity and quality of locally grown food in food-insecure communities.

Bobby Pahia hopes to fill the seat that will be vacated by Yuki Lei Sugimura as she launches a bid for mayor.

The Hawai’i Senate Majority today announced its 2026 legislative priorities in advance of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature’s Opening Day on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.

US Sen. Mazie K. Hirono joined the Senate Democratic Caucus in introducing the “Restoring Food Security for American Families and Farmers Act of 2025.” The legislation would repeal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College and The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division Maui County came together once again this year to provide a Thanksgiving meal for about 750 community members and UHMC students and staff at the college’s Pā‘ina Building on Wednesday.

In a show of community support, six Rotary Clubs across Maui helped Maui Food Bank collect enough donations to provide 5,443 meals during this year’s Holiday Food Drive on Saturday, Nov. 15. Volunteers were stationed at every Safeway location on the island from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., encouraging shoppers to give what they could during a season of rising need.

Nareit Hawaiʻi has awarded $120,000 in grants to five nonprofit organizations across the state to support community programs and food assistance efforts on Oʻahu, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island and Kauaʻi, according to an announcement Tuesday.

Through charitable shipping contributions valued at more than $1.55 million, Matson has donated freight services to transport 156 shipping containers carrying food and essential supplies to Maui since 2022, thereby making it one of Maui Food Bank’s largest and most impactful partners.

“On Maui, 41% of households are food insecure, a 10-point increase from last year,” said Maui Food Bank CEO Lisa Paulson. “The lingering effects of the Lahaina fires, combined with SNAP cuts and the government shutdown, continue to place extraordinary strain on our community. These findings shine a spotlight on the urgent need for continued investment, compassion, and collaboration to ensure no one in Maui County goes hungry.”

Gov. Josh Green and the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services have announced that SNAP recipients should be able to spend the additional $250 in relief funds beginning Nov. 10, four full days earlier than anticipated. Recipients should be able to see the extra $250 in their accounts now, as a pending benefit.