HI SB2169

Appropriates funds from general revenues for fiscal year 2022-2023 to support operating expenses of four Hawaii food banks administering The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP): Hawaii Foodbank, Inc. (Honolulu), Maui Food Bank, Inc. (Maui), Hawaii Foodbank Kauai branch (Kauai), and The Food Basket, Inc. (Hawaii County).

Allocates appropriated funds as follows: 5% to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Office of Community Services for administration, 10% to each county food bank for administrative costs based on poverty population share, and remainder for food purchase funds using the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) formula.

Addresses food insecurity affecting one in six Hawaii residents, including nearly one in four children, with over 82,000 children projected to struggle with hunger in 2022.

Acknowledges that food bank distributions increased from 16.8 million pounds in fiscal year 2018-2019 to 36.5 million pounds in fiscal year 2020-2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic impacts, and funding from federal sources and philanthropy has since declined.

Takes effect December 31, 2050.