Hawaii Gov. David Ige has signed a second emergency proclamation to permit the continuation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in line with the federal COVID-19 emergency response, according to a news release from the Office of the Governor.
SNAP is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is the biggest food nutrition assistance program in the United States, according to the release. It helps low-income individuals and families who are eligible through an electronic benefits transfer card that can be used to buy certain food items in retail stores that participate in the program, the release said.
“Many Hawaii families continue to suffer from food insecurity as they struggle to provide food for themselves and their families because of the effects of the pandemic," Inge said in the release. "This is compounded by the continued increase in the cost of living.”
The disaster emergency relief period will go through July 22.