Report: 30% of families experienced food insecurity in Hawaiʻi in 2023

For the first time since 2014, Hawaiʻi Foodbank has released a comprehensive report detailing the state of food insecurity across Hawaiʻi. The report states that 30% of households in Hawaiʻi experienced food insecurity last year, tripling the estimates provided by the USDA’s Household Food Security.

Commissioned to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by local communities and to evaluate the efficacy of existing hunger-relief initiatives, the study sheds light on critical aspects of food insecurity and its impact on Hawaiʻi’s diverse population.

Administered by SMS Research and analyzed by Pirkle Epidemiology and Evaluation Consulting LLC, the study surveyed 910 residents from various racial and geographic backgrounds. Key findings from the report, covering the year 2023, underscore the severity of food insecurity in Hawai‘i:

• Approximately 29% of children experienced food insecurity, with 6% going an entire day without food. 
• 38% of adults in households with children experienced food insecurity. 
• 10% of households had at least one member who went without food for an entire day.
• Household food insecurity was highest on Hawaiʻi Island, followed by Maui, Oʻahu, and Kauaʻi.
• Young adults ages 18-29 were the most affected by food insecurity, with 44% of those currently enrolled in higher education being food insecure.  
• Over 40% of Native Hawaiians, other Pacific Islanders, Filipinos and American Indian/Alaska Natives lived in food-insecure households.
• 46% of respondents who identified as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual or some other identity than straight were living in food insecure households.
• Approximately 20% of Hawai‘i residents were affected by the Maui wildfires, with those affected twice as likely to be food insecure.

“Food insecurity is such a complex issue and needs to be examined at an even deeper level within the context of Hawaiʻi — taking into account our individual challenges, infrastructure, policies, programs and people,” said Hawai‘i Foodbank president and CEO Amy Miller, emphasizing the significance of local data in tackling food insecurity. “By better understanding these unique variations in need within our local communities, we can develop more targeted, collaborative and comprehensive strategies to address food insecurity in Hawai‘i. This is an important step in achieving our ultimate vision of a Hawai‘i where everyone has consistent access to the safe and nutritious food we all deserve to thrive.”

The State of Food Insecurity in Hawai‘i is the first report of its kind to comprehensively evaluate food insecurity in Hawai‘i using the full United States Household Food Security Survey Module (US HFSSM), the most validated food security measurement tool applied in population studies, per Hawai‘i Foodbank.

The findings will play a pivotal role in guiding Hawaiʻi Foodbank’s future initiatives and focus areas as it endeavors to alleviate food insecurity across the islands.

On average, Hawai‘i Foodbank is currently serving nearly 160,000 people each month. This upward trend in need is the highest since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and is exacerbated by a variety of recent factors, including the end of pandemic-related federal and local support programs, rising grocery prices and an elevated cost of living, the Maui wildfires, and more. 

The full report is available for review at HawaiiFoodbank.org/food-insecurity.