OHA’s $6.1M I Ola Fund Provides Emergency Aid to Kauai SNAP Recipients

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has committed $6.1 million to I Ola: OHA’s Emergency Relief Fund to assist Native Hawaiians affected by the 2025 federal government shutdown and interruptions to SNAP benefits. Hawaiian Council outreach teams were on site in Kauaʻi at Kukui Grove Center (near Center Stage) from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and at Kekaha Neighborhood Center from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. to distribute one-time grocery gift cards and help eligible applicants complete forms.

I Ola provides a one-time grocery gift card of up to $350 per person for eligible Native Hawaiian SNAP recipients who are not eligible for the State of Hawaiʻi Relief Program. Gift cards are distributed at in-person events on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. More than $443,000 in grocery gift cards has been distributed across the pae ʻāina to date, and applicants were encouraged to bring documentation to expedite processing.

The program includes a separate assistance stream for Native Hawaiian federal civilian employees who are furloughed, classified as essential/excepted, or remain unpaid because of the shutdown. Federal worker assistance provides up to $1,200 in one-time cash assistance per person and requires official verification from the federal agency, such as a furlough notice or a leave and earnings statement. Hawaiian Council materials note there are two distinct applications - one for SNAP/grocery gift card assistance and one for federal worker cash assistance.

Hawaiian Council is administering the outreach and on-site application assistance statewide. Earlier outreach events on Maui included Foodland Pukalani in Makawao on February 3 from noon to 4:00 p.m. and Foodland Kaʻahumanu in Kahului on February 4 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Hawaiian Council listed KTA Kona in Kailua-Kona on Hawaiʻi Island for Thursday, March 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. as a future distribution date. At all events, staff help applicants determine eligibility and complete the application process.

Hawaiiancouncil materials framed the effort with the line "Life brings challenges—but support is here" and stated that "OHA’s action reflects its commitment to uplift and protect Native Hawaiians with compassion, dignity, and aloha." An Instagram post from OHA and Hawaiian Council summarized the outreach: "The Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Hawaiian Council are extending a helping hand through I Ola — OHA's Emergency Relief Funds SNAP Assistance."

Applicants seeking more information or to confirm event times, required documents, or remaining funds are asked to contact the Hawaiian Council at 808-596-8155 or reach OHA through its social channels, including Instagram @oha_hawaii and YouTube @ohahawaii. Prospective applicants should bring proof of Native Hawaiian ancestry (for example, an OHA Hawaiian Registry Program card or birth certificate), a government-issued photo ID showing Hawaiʻi residency, SNAP benefits verification for grocery assistance, and official federal agency documentation for federal worker assistance.