Gov. David Ige signed an emergency proclamation to allow continued Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to continue in line with the federal COVID emergency.
The emergency proclamation is for the limited purpose of administering the available federal program that provides SNAP emergency allotment relief to alleviate food insecurity for individuals and families of the state during the national public health emergency.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused food insecurity to grow in Hawaiʻi, and since March 2020, there has been a 36% increase in the number of families receiving food assistance through SNAP.
This proclamation allows over $18 million in federal funds each month to continue to flow to SNAP recipients following the March 25, 2022 expiration of the state’s emergency proclamation related to the Omicron variant.
The proclamation’s disaster emergency relief period shall commence March 25, 2022, and continue through May 24, 2022, or until terminated by a separate proclamation, or until the national public health emergency period related to the COVID-19 pandemic terminates, whichever occurs first.