The COVID-19 pandemic may feel like a distant memory to many, but at Hawaiʻi Foodbank, we’re actually distributing more food today than we did during the height of that crisis. During the fiscal year that ended June 30, Hawaiʻi Foodbank distributed more than 26 million pounds of food into our community. Before the pandemic, we typically were distributing between 10 million and 12 million pounds each year — less than half of what is needed today to support our food insecure neighbors.
I wish I could tell you that demand was beginning to ease. Instead, we’re seeing more and more people turn to us for help, including many who have never needed food assistance before.
As Oʻahu voters receive their general election ballots, they will be asked to consider Question 1, a proposed Honolulu Charter amendment that would establish a dedicated Food Security Fund. The fund would dedicate 0.5% of existing estimated real property tax revenues annually to improving food access and strengthening Oʻahu’s local food supply. This is not a new tax — it simply gives voters a choice in how their existing tax dollars are spent.
Behind the growing demand for food assistance are our neighbors, coworkers and friends. They’re parents working full-time jobs, kūpuna living on fixed incomes and families who are doing everything they can to keep up with Hawaiʻi’s high cost of living.
For many households, one unexpected expense can mean the difference between having enough food and going without. A car repair, medical bill or reduction in work hours can quickly upend an already stretched budget. When disaster strikes, that financial vulnerability becomes even more apparent.
We’ve seen it this year as severe weather has disrupted communities across our Islands. Families have lost electricity and groceries they cannot afford to replace, while others have lost wages when businesses closed or work was interrupted. Food distributions surged in the aftermath, and once again, our community responded with tremendous generosity. I’m grateful for that spirit of aloha, which makes our work possible. But too many families are struggling even when there isn’t an emergency.
According to our latest food insecurity research, one in four O‘ahu households experienced food insecurity. For some families, this means worrying about whether their groceries will last until their next paycheck, and pivoting towards less healthy, cheaper foods. For others, it means skipping meals or going an entire day without eating.
The consequences extend beyond hunger. Food insecurity is associated with serious health conditions, including diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Children who lack adequate nutrition can struggle to concentrate and learn. The effects reach into our schools, workplaces and communities.
At Hawaiʻi Foodbank, our immediate responsibility is to help people get the food they need today. We are privileged to work with hundreds of community partners to distribute groceries, fresh produce and other nutritious foods to households throughout Oʻahu and Kauaʻi.
But emergency food assistance alone cannot solve the underlying problem. We also need to strengthen the systems that produce, distribute and provide access to food. That includes supporting local farmers and producers, improving distribution networks and creating more opportunities for locally grown food to reach the people who need it.
A stronger local food system also contributes to our resilience. When severe weather or other emergencies disrupt transportation and supply chains, having reliable local sources of food and the infrastructure to distribute it becomes especially important.
Question 1 would establish a recurring source of City funding — using existing revenues, not new taxes — for programs focused on local food production and access. Voters will decide whether that funding should be dedicated through the City Charter.
From my perspective, I can’t think of a better way to spend my tax dollars than making sure our neighbors have enough healthy food to eat while also investing in our local economy and building resilience for the future at the same time. I will be voting yes and I hope you will, too.
Read more from Aloha State Daily here about author Amy Miller, president and CEO of Hawaiʻi Foodbank, Hawaiʻi’s largest hunger relief organization.
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