This week, Amy Miller, President and CEO of the Hawai‘i Foodbank, joins host Brandi Higa on the One O‘ahu Podcast to talk about the incredible need for donations right now, plus a campaign wrapping up this week with the City and State to raise 515,000 meals for Hawai‘i’s families in need and how you can help.
Food insecurity in our islands
The Hawai‘i Foodbank is seeing high levels of food insecurity right now. According to a study released last year, about one in three households in the state are facing food insecurity, meaning there is not enough food in the household for everybody to live a healthy, active lifestyle.
“We’ve started to see more and more working families,” explained Miller. “These are people working one job, two jobs, sometimes three jobs. They’ve always been able to make ends meet and they just can’t do it anymore.”
The foodbank is serving an average of 172,000 people per month, which is similar to the amount the nonprofit distributed during the height of the COVID pandemic.
City & State Employee Food Drive
The City and County of Honolulu and the State of Hawai‘i are in the final stretch of a campaign to raise 515,000 meals for Hawai‘i’s families in need.
“That’s half a million people that will be able to have a healthy meal,” said Miller. “So it makes a big difference, it really does.”
Food donations are being accepted through Friday, May 9, 2025 at any Satellite City Hall or Honolulu Fire Department station.
Bracing for Federal Cuts
The Hawaii Foodbank is preparing for the worst if it takes a hit from federal budget cuts possibly affecting thousands of island residents.
“About 22% of our overall revenues come from the federal government,” added Miller. She goes on to say, “the immediate impact is this $4 million statewide cut to actual food that we received from the USDA and distribute into the community. I think the other thing that we’re really concerned about is the potential cuts to safety net programs, nutrition programs, and health programs like SNAP and Medicaid because so many folks rely on those programs for health supports and nutritional supports.”
For more information on the foodbank, volunteering, donating, or receiving assistance, visit https://hawaiifoodbank.org/
