Thousands in Hawai‘i Expected To Benefit From Emergency Food Stamps, Pandemic School Meal Program

A new executive order issued by President Joe Biden will provide more Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP benefits, commonly known as food stamps, to the most needy families, according to an update provided by US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i).

Sen. Schatz reports that an estimated 33,000 people in Hawai‘i will benefit from the allotment.

The order also includes a 15 percent increase in benefits for families of the more than 93,500 Hawai‘i students who qualify for free or reduced-priced school meals and are currently receiving Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) benefits due to COVID-19 related school closures, as well as a directive for food assistance benefits to be updated to reflect the true cost of a healthy diet.

“More help is on the way for Hawai‘i families struggling to put food on their tables,” said Senator Schatz. “These new actions from the president will boost benefits and provide more healthy meals for those most in need.”