Thousands more Hawaii public school students eligible for free meals

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Nearly 12,000 more Hawaii public school students will receive free school meals this school year.

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Starting Aug. 3, students from households with incomes up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level will qualify for one free breakfast and lunch each school day under Act 139, signed into law by Gov. Josh Green last year.

The expansion builds on the first phase of the law, implemented during the 2025-26 school year, which eliminated meal charges for students who qualified for reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program.

More than $3.3 million will be distributed to cover the cost of free meals over two school years.

“Half of Hawaii families are reporting difficulty maintaining consistent access to healthy, affordable, and nutritious food,” said state Rep. Trish La Chica, House Committee on Education vice chair. “By making nutritious meals available to more keiki, we’re helping create the conditions for every student to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.”

Access to nutritious school meals has been shown to directly contribute to improved attendance, academic performance, physical and mental health, and overall student well-being. The expansion is designed to help local families who already face challenges like rising food and household costs.

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“Knowing that my sons can get healthy meals at school without worrying about the cost is a huge relief,” said Gwen W., a mother of two children at Hawaii public schools. “It means more room in our family budget for other essentials, and it gives me peace of mind knowing they’ll have the nutrition they need to learn and succeed.”

Families are encouraged to apply for the Hawaii State Department of Education’s online school meal application. Those who need assistance should contact their child’s school directly.

All students at schools with the Community Eligibility Provision program, listed on the Department of Education’s website, automatically get free meals and do not need to apply.

Students in households that receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or who are identified as homeless, migrant, runaway, or foster children, also do not need to apply.

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