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Hawaii Disaster Nutrition Assistance

Incident: Wildfires

When: Aug. 8, 2023

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On March 12, 2024, FNS approved Hawaii Department of Human Services (DHS) request to extend the expiration date to waive the statutory definition of "food" under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended and accompanying regulations at 7 CFR 271.2. The initial waiver, approved on Aug. 16, 2023, includes all five counties in Hawaii (Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai and Maui) and allows SNAP households to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Sept. 14, 2023. The wavier was amended on Sept. 8, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Oct. 14, 2023, along with Oct. 11, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Nov. 13, 2023, and Nov. 9, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Dec. 31, 2023. On Dec. 22, 2023, the wavier was amended to limit approval to Maui County and extend the expiration date to Feb. 29, 2024. On Feb. 29, 2024, the waiver was amended to extend the expiration date to March 14, 2024. This waiver approval allows SNAP households in Maui County to continue purchasing hot foods with SNAP benefits through April 30, 2024, in order to increase access to food after power outages as a result of wildfires that began Aug. 8, 2023.
  • On Feb. 29, 2024, FNS approved Hawaii DHS request to extend the expiration date to waive the statutory definition of "food" under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended and accompanying regulations at 7 CFR 271.2. The initial waiver, approved on Aug. 16, 2023, includes all five counties in Hawaii (Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai and Maui) and allows SNAP households to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Sept. 14, 2023. The wavier was amended on Sept. 8, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Oct. 14, 2023, along with Oct. 11, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Nov. 13, 2023, and Nov. 9, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Dec. 31, 2023. On Dec. 22, 2023, the wavier was amended to limit approval to Maui County and extend the expiration date to Feb. 29, 2024. This waiver approval allows SNAP households in Maui County to continue purchasing hot foods with SNAP benefits through March 14, 2024, in order to increase access to food after power outages as a result of wildfires that began Aug. 8, 2023.
  • On Dec. 22, 2023, FNS approved Hawaii DHS request to extend the expiration date to waive the statutory definition of "food" under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended and accompanying regulations at 7 CFR 271.2, limiting the approval to Maui County. The initial waiver, approved on Aug. 16, 2023, includes all five counties in Hawaii (Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai and Maui) and allows SNAP households to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Sept. 14, 2023. The wavier was amended on Sept. 8, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Oct. 14, 2023, along with Oct. 11, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Nov. 13, 2023, and Nov. 9, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Dec. 31, 2023. This waiver approval allows SNAP households Maui County to continue to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Feb. 29, 2024, in order to increase access to food after power outages as a result of wildfires that began Aug. 8, 2023.
  • On Nov. 9, 2023, FNS approved Hawaii DHS request to extend the expiration date to waive the statutory definition of "food" under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended and accompanying regulations at 7 CFR 271.2. The initial waiver, approved on Aug. 16, 2023, includes all five counties in Hawaii (Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai, and Maui) and allows SNAP households to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Sept. 14, 2023. The wavier was amended on Sept. 8, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Oct. 14, 2023, and Oct. 11, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Nov. 13, 2023. This waiver approval allows SNAP households to continue to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Dec. 31, 2023, in order to increase access to food after power outages as a result of wildfires that began Aug. 8, 2023.
  • On Oct. 11, 2023, FNS approved Hawaii DHS request to extend the expiration date to waive the statutory definition of "food" under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended and accompanying regulations at 7 CFR 271.2. The initial waiver approved on Aug. 16, 2023, includes all five counties in Hawaii (Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai, and Maui) and allows SNAP households to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Sept. 14, 2023. The wavier was amended on Sept. 8, 2023, to extend the expiration date to Oct. 14, 2023. This waiver approval allows SNAP households to continue to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Nov. 13, 2023, in order to increase access to food after power outages as a result of wildfires that began Aug. 8, 2023.
  • On Sept. 13, 2023, FNS approved the Hawaii DHS request to operate Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) in Maui County in response to the impact of wildfires that began on Aug. 8, 2023. This approval is limited to individuals who lived or worked in the following Maui County zip codes: 96761, 96767, 96790. President Joseph R. Biden issued a major disaster declaration designating Maui County as eligible for federal individual assistance on Aug. 10, 2023. The state plans to operate D-SNAP from Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, through Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, on Maui Island. Due to the displacement of evacuees from the wildfires, the state will operate in Hawaii County, Honolulu County, Kauai County, and other islands in Maui County from Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, through Friday, Sept. 22, 2023.
  • On Sept. 8, 2023, FNS approved the Hawaii DHS request to issue mass replacements to impacted households. This waiver approval allows households to receive replacement of benefits as stated in the approval due to power outages as a result of the wildfires that began on Aug. 8, 2023. The waiver applies to Maui County.
  • On Sept. 8, 2023, FNS approved Hawaii DHS extension request to waive the statutory definition of "food" under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended and accompanying regulations at 7 CFR 271.2. The initial waiver approved on Aug. 16, 2023, includes all five counties in Hawaii (Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai, and Maui) and allows SNAP households to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Sept. 14, 2023. This waiver approval allows SNAP households to continue to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Oct. 14, 2023, in order to increase access to food after power outages as a result of wildfires that began Aug. 8, 2023.
  • On Aug. 17, 2023, FNS approved the Hawaii DHS request to extend certification periods and waive periodic reporting requirements for ongoing SNAP households in Hawaii for up to six (6) months due to the impact of wildfires that began on Aug. 8, 2023.
  • On Aug. 16, 2023, FNS approved Hawaii DHS request to waive the statutory definition of "food" under Section 3(k)(1) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended and accompanying regulations at 7 CFR 271.2. The waiver applies to all five counties in Hawaii (Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai and Maui). This waiver approval allows SNAP households to purchase hot foods with SNAP benefits through Sept. 14, 2023, in order to increase access to food after power outages as a result of wildfires that began Aug. 8, 2023. Retailers may need as much as 24-36 hours to make changes that will allow for the sale of hot foods.
  • On Aug. 11, 2023, FNS approved the Hawaii DHS request to waive the 10-day reporting requirement for food purchased with SNAP benefits that was lost as a result of power outages due to wildfires that began on Aug. 8, 2023. This waiver applies to following seven zip codes in Maui County and Hawaii County: 96743, 96753, 96755, 96761, 96768, 96788 and 96790. The waiver is in effect through Sept. 15, 2023.

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

  • On Oct. 31, 2023, FNS approved the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) extension request for flexibility with the maximum monthly allowance (MMA) requirements in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC). The waiver approval allows infant formula substitutions for alternate container sizes of contract brand infant formula as stated in the approval letter. This waiver is in effect through Nov. 29, 2023.
  • On Oct. 31, 2023, FNS approved the Hawaii DOH extension request for flexibility with the MMA requirements in WIC. The waiver approval allows substitutions as stated in the approval letter of portion sizes of eggs, tofu, whole wheat/whole grain bread, juice, and breakfast cereal. This waiver is in effect through Nov. 29, 2023.
  • On Aug. 18, 2023, FNS approved the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) request for flexibility with the maximum monthly allowance (MMA) requirements in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC). The waiver approval allows infant formula substitutions for contract brand infant formula as stated in the approval letter. This waiver is in effect through Oct. 31, 2023, or 60 days after the end of the Emergency Declaration, whichever is sooner.
  • On Aug. 18, 2023, FNS approved the Hawaii DOH request for flexibility with the requirement for on-site visits prior to a vendor’s initial authorization in WIC. The waiver approval allows the state agency to authorize the stores necessary to ensure continued participant access to supplemental foods. This waiver is in effect through Oct. 31, 2023, or 60 days after the end of the Emergency Declaration, whichever is sooner.
  • On Aug. 14, 2023, FNS approved the Hawaii DOH request for flexibility with the MMA requirements in WIC. The waiver approval allows substitutions as stated in the approval letter of portion sizes of eggs, tofu, whole wheat/whole grain bread, juice and breakfast cereal. This waiver is in effect through Oct. 31, 2023, or 60 days after the end of the Emergency Declaration, whichever is sooner.

Child Nutrition Programs

  • On Aug. 17, 2023, FNS approved Hawaii Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) request for flexibilities relating to child nutrition program operations impacted by wildfires that began on Aug. 8, 2023. The flexibilities allow meals and snacks served through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) to be reimbursed even if meal pattern requirements are not fully met. Sites that are operating Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) may operate a meal service without milk during the emergency period, and the state is encouraged to prioritize technical assistance when meal pattern requirements cannot be met. Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) operators are granted similar flexibility and may also utilize emergency procurement flexibilities at 2 CFR 200.320, which allow a noncompetitive procurement method when a “public exigency or emergency” prevents competitive procurement. These flexibilities are available to affected program operators on the islands of Maui and Hawaii through Oct. 31, 2023. FNS expects that flexibilities and exceptions provided will only be implemented by program operators when meal service is limited or negatively impacted due to the ongoing natural disasters and recovery efforts.
  • On Aug. 11, 2023, FNS approved Hawaii CNP request for waivers relating to child nutrition programs impacted by the wildfires on the island of Maui. Under the waiver approval, program operators of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program along with sponsoring organizations and independent centers of the Child and Adult Care Food Program on the islands of Maui and Hawaii may serve meals in a non-congregate setting, allow parent pick-up, adjust the time of meal service, are not required to include an enrichment or educational activity, and are not required to use offer versus serve. Additionally, the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option may serve meals in a non-congregate setting, adjust the time of meal service, allow parent pick up, and serve meals at school sites due to the unanticipated closures. These waivers in effect through Oct. 31, 2023, or until students return to in-person instruction.

Please visit the pages below for more information on the federal response to the Hawaii Wildfires:

Past Responses

2021

Incident: Flooding and Power Outages

When: March 8, 2021

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On April 1, 2021, FNS approved the Hawaii Department of Human Services’ (DHS) amended request to waive timely reporting of food loss for households in forty-three zip codes. This waiver approval allows impacted households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through April 14, 2021.
  • On March 17, 2021, FNS approved Hawaii’s request to waive timely reporting of food loss for households in certain zip codes in Hawaii as a result of widespread flooding and power outages that began on March 8, 2021. This waiver approval allows affected households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through April 7, 2021.
2018

Incident: Hurricane Lane

When: Aug. 24, 2018

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On Sept. 12, 2018, FNS approved Hawaii's request for a timely reporting of food loss waiver. This waiver will allows households across the state to make a request for replacement SNAP benefits through Oct. 4, 2018.

Incident: Volcano and Earthquakes

When: Began May 3, 2018

Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP)

  • On July 18, 2018, FNS approved the Hawaii Department of Human Services’ request to operate D-SNAP in limited areas of Hawaii County due to impacts from the ongoing Kilauea East Rift Zone volcanic eruption. The state agency accepted D-SNAP applications July 25-27, 2018 and July 30- Aug. 2, 2018. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ongoing participants who lived or worked in these limited areas of Hawaii County requested disaster supplements on an individual basis.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On July 25, 2018, FNS approved Hawaii’s request to allow for hot foods to be purchased at SNAP authorized retailers in Hawaii County. Due to the power outages, severe flooding and displacements caused by the Kilauea Volcanic Eruption, the waiver permitted affected SNAP households in Hawaii County to buy hot foods and hot food products with their SNAP benefits through Aug. 24, 2018.
  • On July 4, 2018, FNS approved the Hawaii request for extension of the timely household reporting of food loss for the affected areas of Hawaii county. This waiver approval allowed households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through Aug. 6, 2018. On June 8, 2018, FNS approved Hawaii's request to extend the timely household reporting of food loss waiver for Hawaii County through July 5, 2018. This waiver approval allowed households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through July 5, 2018. On May 12, 2018, FNS approved the Hawaii request for timely household reporting of food loss for Hawaii County. This waiver approval allowed households to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through June 4, 2018. These replacement SNAP benefits allowed households to replace food lost due to volcanic eruption, lava intrusion, and high levels of Sulfur Dioxide.

Incident: Flooding and Landslides

When: April 13-15, 2018

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

  • On April 30, 2018 FNS approved a Hawaii request for timely household reporting of food loss for the affected areas of Kauai County. This waiver approval allowed households that suffered power outages resulting from flooding and landslides, which occurred between April 13 and April 15, in the Hanalei region, to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits through May 16, 2018. These replacement SNAP benefit allowed households to replace food lost as a result of the flooding and landslides. On May 18, 2018, FNS approved Hawaii’s request for extension, which will allowed households that suffered power outages resulting from flooding and landslides to make a request for replacement of SNAP benefits until June 4, 2018.

Hawaii Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Website
If you think you may be eligible for disaster food assistance in your state, please contact your local state office.

Page updated: March 13, 2024