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HAWAII
PUBLIC
NST� T UT
Date: January 6, 2025
To: Councilmember Jenn Kagiwada, Chair
Councilmember Matt Kaneali'i-Kleinfelder, Vice Chair
Members of the Hawaii County Council
Re: Support for Reso 42-25 Urging the State of Hawaii to Implement a
Universal Free School Meals Program that Promotes Nutritional Equity,
Supports Local Agriculture, and Enhances Student Success
Mtg: Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Healthy Eating + Active Living (HEAL) Coalition, convened by the Hawaii Public
Health Institute (HIPHI)' is in support of Reso 42-25, which would urge the state
legislature to establish a universal free school meals program that promotes
nutritional equity, supports local agriculture, and enhances student success.
Access to education and food.
All students, regardless of income, are given the opportunity to attend
school. Everyone has access to free public education, it is not just provided
to those who can least afford it. The same should be true of the food
served at school. Food is an absolute necessity for families and students
regardless of income.
Discriminating against those whose income is just above the threshold or who
have not successfully filled out the paperwork creates many adverse outcomes.
Students are hungry because families miss or cannot afford lunch payments, or a
family must budget away from other areas of need like housing or healthcare to
pay for lunch. Hawai'i needs to support all students, regardless of income, in
receiving free meals.
Current subsidies are not enough.
Families with incomes above 130% of the federal poverty line require support but
are not getting it? Families of 4 earning just $47,000 per year are not eligible for
free school meals but earn less than half of the $110,000 that is needed to make
ends meet.' These Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed (ALICE) families
do not qualify for free lunches despite having significant needs.1 in 3 Hawai'i
1 Hawai'i Public Health Institute's mission is to advance health and wellness for the people and
islands of Hawai'i. We do this through expanding our understanding of what creates health of
people and place, fostering partnerships , and cultivating programs to improve policies, systems,
and the environments where people live, learn, work, age, and play.
httos //ww.w.hawaiioublicschools.org/TeachingAndLearning/HealthAndNutrition/StudentHealthR
esources/Pages/FreeReducedLunch.asox
3 httns•//unitedforalice org/hawaii
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households are part of the ALICE population who need increased support 4 The arbitrary cut-off at 130%
of the federal poverty level hurts children and does not accurately reflect the needs of our local families.
Proven Success
The Hawaii Department of Education successfully ran a free school meals program for two full calendar
years. Students received free school meals for both the 2020-2021 school year and the 2021-2022 school
year.
Students go without food because of a variety of circumstances, and they need to be fed in order to learn.
Nutrition helps overall health, and eating allows students to concentrate on school, not on their hungry
stomachs. This concept is so well supported that eight states and New York City Schools all provide free
meals.' Evidence shows that free school meals programs result in increased test scores.' Every child
should know that when in school, they will eat.
Thank you for considering this important resolution, and our testimony in support of Reso 42-25.
Patti Hatzistavrakis
East Hawaii Healthy Eating + Active Living (HEAL) Coalition Coordinator
Hawaii Public Health Institute
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