Thousands turn out for Hawaii Foodbank’s largest distribution amid ongoing shutdown
As SNAP delays continue, families line up at Aloha Stadium for much needed relief while officials warn food insecurity is reaching pandemic era levels.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The Hawaii Foodbank held its largest relief distribution event at Aloha Stadium, providing food assistance to thousands of families impacted by the ongoing government shutdown.
Hawaii Foodbank president Amy Miller said since 9 a.m., the team has been running about 400 cars through every hour, with more than 2,000 people signing up for food assistance.
“Pretty much as fast as our registration filled up with households that needed support, our volunteer registration filled up just as fast. So people really do want to help,” Miller said.
Among the volunteers was U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, who joined in distributing food and called attention to the growing need for support. She noted that while the federal government plans to partially fund SNAP benefits, families have yet to see that relief.
“It’s partial funding, but keep in mind, they have yet to reload those cards,” Tokuda said. “Every day that the Trump administration fails to reload cards, don’t give me excuses about administrative slowdowns or whatnot.”
Tokuda said the level of need now mirrors what Hawaii experienced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, except this time, there’s no major federal relief to help fill the gap.
For families like Anela Johnson’s, the distribution was a lifeline.
“It’s been really hard, you know, single mom of three, so it’s really hard,” Johnson said.
She added that she finds strength in lessons passed down from her own mother.
“My mom was a single mom as well, and she always taught us to have a plan B. So I always have a plan B for me and my kids,” she said.
Officials say the long lines reflect both the rising cost of groceries and the strain on households waiting for EBT cards to be reloaded or for paychecks to resume.
“Hearing people maxing out their credit cards or people not eating so that their kids can eat, this is just not okay,” Miller said. “That’s why we’re here.”
Foodbank leaders say they plan to hold more pop-up events in the coming weeks to ensure no family goes hungry.
Copyright 2025 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
