The Department of Human Services (DHS) has shared updates about a temporary pause in SNAP benefits in November due to the federal government shutdown. You can read the latest information and FAQ here.
We know this uncertainty can create real hardship for families who rely on SNAP to access healthy, local food. At Ho‘ōla Farms and Hawai‘i Farm-to-Car, our mission is rooted in community resilience and food security for all. Times like these remind us of the strength we have when we come together to support one another.
Hawai‘i Farm-to-Car Customer Impact
Through Hawai‘i Farm-to-Car, we fulfill an average of 160 orders using SNAP / DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks payments each month. These customers rely on our program for fresh, local food. We are currently raising funds for our Food is Medicine program, which provides free food boxes sourced directly from Hawai‘i farmers and producers. Your support ensures kūpuna, keiki, Veterans, caregivers, and underserved families continue to have access to nourishing staples.
When SNAP benefits pause, it doesn’t just affect families at the table—it also impacts our local farmers, food producers, and the island economy that depends on steady community demand for local food.
How You Can Help
If you’re in a position to give, your support in purchasing a Food Box directly nourishes Hawaiʻi families in need:
- $25 = Food box for an individual
- $50 = Food box for a family
- Or donate any amount to help feed our community
All donations are tax-deductible and go directly toward sourcing and distributing fresh, local food to families who need it most.
Donate Here
Partnership Opportunities
Work with us to make a larger impact. Contact us directly at grow@hoolafarms.org to discuss partnership options and contribution levels. Mahalo for standing with us to nourish our neighbors during this time of uncertainty.
Resources and Ways to Get Help
If you or someone you know needs food support during this time, please see the following resources:
- The Food Basket: Hawai’i Island’s Food Bank with locations in Hilo and Kona. See the November ʻOhana Food Drop Schedule.
- Federal Employees Impacted: If you’re a federal employee in need of food assistance See more from The Food Basket.
- 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.
- Vibrant Hawaiʻi’s Hawai’i Island Food Distribution Sign Up: Vibrant Hawaiʻi’s islandwide emergency response effort, 12 community food distribution sites are being activated to ensure residents continue to have access to essential food resources.
You can also support by:
- Volunteer with The Food Basket to pack and distribute food boxes at 40 Holomua Street, Hilo, from Wednesday, October 29 – Thursday, October 31. For questions or to sign up, call 808-933-6030.
- Volunteer with Kōkua Harvest a program of The Food Basket – Hawaiʻi Island’s Food Bank. Volunteers help gather fresh fruit from community trees and help ensure nothing goes to waste. The fruit collected will be shared with local families in need through shelters, schools, and community distribution sites. It’s a simple, hands-on way to give back, connect with others, and nourish our island ʻohana.
- Sharing this message with friends and ʻohana to help spread awareness and support across the island.
The Ho‘ōla Farms & Hawai‘i Farm-to-Car Team
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