More than 60,000 children in Hawaii count on school for one or two meals during the school year – and many of those students lose access to the meals during the summer.
KALIHI, HAWAII (KITV4) - More than 60,000 children in Hawaii rely on school for one or two meals during the school year and many of those students lose access to the meals during the summer.
The USDA's Summer Food service program aims to fill that gap by giving free meals at summer programs.
"Kids don't have food sometimes at home and many don’t have hot meals as far as nutritious meals. That is another reason why these programs are so important because the meals here are nutritious and essential," said Reynold Fernandez, supervisor at teen and youth programs.
Officials at YMCA also said these free meals help parents as well.
"Many families will tell us that the ability for their children to have a free, hot meal helps them with their financial situation too because often times they have to choose between using extra money for dinner or for gas,” said Diane Tabangay, director of Youth Development at YMCA.
A few experts said Hawaii isn't receiving enough summer meals because the federal reimbursement rate is based on an outdated study by the USDA. Those experts also believe, based on current food costs in Hawaii, the federal reimbursement rates for summer meals should be 62% higher than other states - instead of the current 17%.
"The summer programs are coming back online and it’s great to see these kids at the Kalihi YMCA eating their lunch. However, we have lost a lot of sponsors and sites over the last few years because they can't just make it. They can’t cover the cost of these meals with the rates set the way they were all the way back in 1979," said Nicole Woo, Director of Research and Economic Policy, Hawai‘i Children’s Action Network.
Hawaii congressional leaders are requesting a 43% increase in funding for the summer as well as the upcoming school year.
"We're in correspondence with the Department of Agriculture. It simply costs more to do anything in the state of Hawaii, so we need more federal funding to do the same programs as the mainland states. This is the case we've made to the USDA," said Senator Brian Schatz.
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