The Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced that changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will take effect statewide on October 1, 2025. These changes are a result of adjustments by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the Thrifty Food Plan, which is used to set benefit levels for SNAP participants across the country.
As a consequence, households in Hawaiʻi will experience a reduction in their monthly SNAP benefits. The average decrease is expected to be about $8 per person each month. For example, a single-person household will see an approximate $11 reduction, and a family of four will face about a $34 per-person decrease.
“Because of adjustments made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the Thrifty Food Plan — the federal formula used to determine benefit levels nationwide — households in Hawaiʻi will see a reduction in their monthly SNAP benefit. On average, the decrease will be about $8 per person per month. For example, a single-person household will see about an $11 reduction, while a family of four will see about a $34 per-person reduction,” said DHS Deputy Director Trista Speer.
DHS is working to inform families about these upcoming changes and provide support as they adjust to lower benefit amounts.
