HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Hawaii were surprised to find their usual monthly food allowance on their cards Friday morning. A federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November .

HONOLULU – Governor Josh Green and the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services (DHS) 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.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees will consider three options Thursday when it meets in Hilo to decide on a relief program to distribute more than $6.1 million in emergency funding to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries impacted by the federal government shutdown and delayed or reduced SNAP benefit assistance.

The Hawaiʻi Emergency Food Assistance Program (HEFAP) is a new state-sponsored food benefit that is separate from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit. HEFAP will provide a benefit of $250 per person in a household. HEFAP will only be available for households who were approved for November 2025 SNAP benefits. The HEFAP will be restricted to purchase food and groceries at retail locations that accept Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards.

The Hawaiʻi Relief Program is a new statewide program that provides non-recurring short-term housing and utility payments to help families with dependent children who are in financial crisis, or are experiencing an episode of financial need resulting from an unexpected event such as involuntary loss of employment, natural disaster, displacement from a damaged home, or involuntary reduction in earnings or financial resource.

CHINATOWN, Oahu (KHON2) — With the federal government shutdown now in its second month, local businesses are beginning to see some changes, with some of their customers no longer receiving their usual funds from SNAP benefits.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration said Monday that it will partially fund SNAP for November, after two judges issued rulings requiring the government to keep the nation’s largest food aid program running.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 30, 2025 HONOLULU – Governor Josh Green today announced new coordinated state actions to protect Hawaiʻi families from the impacts of the ongoing federal government shutdown and disruption to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). To provide necessary support, the state will issue a $250 emergency relief payment per eligible individual, for a total cost of $42.2 million in November, helping households bridge the gap created by the

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Applications are now being accepted for the new Hawaii Relief Program , which gives housing and utility assistance to low-income families in financial crisis who have at least one dependent child under the age of 18.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Registration For 12 Community Distribution Sites Open Across Hawaiʻi Island Through Aloha In Action Response Hawaiʻi Island – With the temporary pause of SNAP benefits beginning November 1 and the ongoing federal government shutdown creating uncertainty for local families, communities across Hawaiʻi Island are moving quickly to meet the urgent needs of their neighbors.  Through Aloha In Action , Vibrant Hawaiʻi’s islandwide emergency response effort, 12

Gov. Josh Green speaks during Kuhinia Maui Midday Gathering at the Maui County Building in Wailuku. Green announced today that he will provide residents with children up to four months of federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funding worth $100 million through the new Hawaiʻi Relief Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 29, 2025 HONOLULU – Governor Josh Green today announced a coordinated relief effort to protect Hawaiʻi families from Federal shutdown impacts. In partnership with the Hawaiʻi State Legislature, the Department of Human Services (DHS), the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), the Department of Education (HIDOE) and other state agencies, the Green Administration is activating multiple avenues of support to help households who may temporarily lose benef

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE As Hawaiʻi Island prepares for the temporary pause of SNAP benefits on November 1, and with the ongoing federal government shutdown affecting local workers, Vibrant Hawaiʻi’s Resilience Network is mobilizing to lessen the impact on families and ensure support reaches those most in need. The Resilience Network —made up of Resilience Hubs, Points of Distribution partners, Social Service Navigators, and members of the Resilience Alliance— has launched an is

Our Social Service Navigators recently attended the 2025 Hawaiʻi Island Healthcare Conference, a gathering that brought together leaders, changemakers, and community members from across the island. The goal was clear: explore innovative solutions, strengthen partnerships, and work toward a healthier, more connected future for everyone on Hawaiʻi Island.   “As a Social Service Navigator, attending the Hawaiʻi Island Healthcare Conference was important to understand how our wor

The second KōCreate gathering marked a shift—from connection to coordination, from reflection to movement. Over two days, KōCreators from across Hawaiʻi Island came together to translate vision into action, guided by the belief that lasting change begins with community-led design.   “Being part of KōCreate matters deeply to me because it represents hope — a space where visionary leaders from across Hawaiʻi can come together to reimagine what thriving looks like for our island

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees today approved $6.1 million in emergency funding for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries impacted by the shutdown of the federal government and the potential suspension of SNAP benefits on November 1.

While the state government formalizes its plans to help SNAP recipients, local assistance organizations are stepping up, too.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services (DHS) is sharing guidance on the temporary suspension of November 2025 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit issuances resulting from the ongoing federal government shutdown. DHS understands the hardship this may cause for families, kūpuna and individuals across Hawaiʻi and is committed to communicating clearly, working with compassion, and providing support throughout this interruption.

The Hawai‘i Department of Human Services (DHS) continues to closely monitor the federal government shutdown and its potential impact on programs that provide essential food assistance to Hawai‘i families.

That would leave about 85,000 households in Hawaii scrambling to put food on the table.

At the Hawaiʻi Pacific Evaluation Association Conference , Vibrant Hawaiʻi Youth Ambassadors shared a story not just about data, but about transformation — introducing participants to Hikaloi, a Hawaiian practice of self-evaluation that guides both personal and community growth.   For Vibrant Hawaiʻi, Hikaloi is more than a survey or checklist. It’s a way to see where we are — as individuals and as a collective — on a journey toward thriving communities, where people "Get Cha

Rooted in the belief that communities already hold the wisdom, relationships, and creativity to chart their own course, KōCreate redefines what leadership and community engagement look like. It shifts the focus from extraction to cultivation—from collecting input to nurturing agency. KōCreate positions community members not as advisors to someone else’s agenda, but as architects of their own solutions.   On September 26, 27 community leaders from across Hawaiʻi Island came to

What happens when neighbors open their doors, share what they have, and care for the places they love? On Sunday, September 28, the first-ever #VibeHI Day  answered that question in powerful ways. Across Hawaiʻi Island, 150 resident-led projects brought people together, touching the lives of more than 7,000 individuals with simple yet meaningful acts of aloha. On Kohala’s Water Works Road, neighbors turned a simple idea into a shared expression of abundance — a community frui

This past weekend, our Vibrant Hawaiʻi ʻOhana participated in the Hawaiʻi County Disaster Preparedness Fair in Kailua-Kona, sharing resources, skills, and strengthening connections with the community. We are especially grateful to our Social Service Navigators and Resilience Hub members, whose dedication ensures that families across Hawaiʻi Island have access to the tools and knowledge needed to stay safe.   Preparedness is essential for protecting yourself, your ʻohana, and