The Food Basket Inc

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE FOOD BASKET (TFB) LAUNCHED DA BUX IN 2017 AS A PILOT SNAP NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAMIN HAWAII COUNTY. SINCE ITS STATEWIDE EXPANSION IN 2020 TO ALL FOUR COUNTIES, DA BUX HAS BEEN AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND, OFFERING A 50% DISCOUNT ON HAWAII GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES (FV) FOR SNAP HOUSEHOLDS. WHILE DA BUX HAS EXPANDED RAPIDLY SINCE OUR PILOT, SEVERAL ASSESSMENTS SURVEYING SNAP PARTICIPANTS SHOW THERE ARE SEVERAL BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION. THE FOLLOWING PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES WERE STRATEGICALLY CRAFTED TO RESPOND TO SNAP PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK. GOAL 1-ACCESS: INCREASE SNAP PARTICIPANT ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HAWAII GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES BY (1) EXPANDING DA BUX TO 19 NEW FOOD RETAILERS, AND (2) SUPPORTING FOOD HUBS TO ACCEPT SNAP PAYMENT ONLINE. GOAL 2-AWARENESS: INCREASE PURCHASING OF HAWAII GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AMONG SNAP PARTICIPANTS BY INCREASING PROMOTION AND AWARENESS OF DA BUX THROUGH IMPLEMENTING (1) NEW ONLINE CASHIER TRAINING MODULES, AND (2) A SNAP-PARTICIPANT INFORMED PUBLIC MARKETING CAMPAIGN. GOAL 3-USAGE: INCREASE CONSUMPTION OF HAWAII GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AVAILABLE THROUGH DA BUX BY DELIVERING FREE FARM-TO-TABLE, NUTRITION EDUCATION THROUGH (1) DISTRIBUTION OF CULTURALLY-RELEVANT, CHILD NUTRITION EDUCATION ACTIVITY BOOKS, AND (2) DELIVERY OF NA KUKE OPIO COOKING CLASSES. TFB IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO EXECUTE A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT AS WE ARE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS TO ACHIEVE EACH PROJECT OBJECTIVE, INCLUDING SNAP PARTICIPANTS, OUR STATE SNAP AGENCY, HAWAII GOOD FOOD ALLIANCE, AND UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SNAP-ED PROGRAM. THE OUTCOMES ACHIEVED FROM THIS PROJECT AIM TO ENHANCE THE LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF DA BUX IMPLEMENTATION.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SINCE 2014, THE FOOD BASKET, HAWAI'I ISLAND'S FOOD BANK, HAS PIONEERED NUTRITION INCENTIVES TO INCREASE THE PURCHASE OF HAWAI'I GROWN PRODUCE AMONG SNAP BENEFICIARIES. DURING 2019 - 2021, THE FOOD BASKET IMPLEMENTED A STATEWIDE EXPANSION OF ITS DA BUX DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS PROGRAM USING A FY 2019 GUSNIP AWARD. BY THE END OF 2020, 77% OF SNAP HOUSEHOLDS IN THE STATE LIVED WITHIN NORMAL SHOPPING DISTANCE OF A PARTICIPATING RETAILER. DA BUX IS CURRENTLY BEING IMPLEMENTED THROUGH 81 RETAIL SITES IN ALL FOUR COUNTIES AND INCLUDES GROCERY STORES, FARMERS MARKETS, COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS AND FARM STANDS. THE PROGRAM IS PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED ECONOMIC RELIEF FOR THE STATE, WHICH IS RANKED AS HAVING THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE NATION DUE TO THE PANDEMIC (9.0% AS OF MARCH 2021). RISING UNEMPLOYMENT IS DIRECTLY TIED TO RISING FOOD INSECURITY AND FOOD COSTS THAT ARE 82% HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF OUR GUSNIP CRR PROJECT IS TO FURTHER EXPAND DA BUX INCENTIVES TO SNAP RECIPIENTS BY REMOVING THE CURRENT INCENTIVE CAP OF $20 PER DAY PER SNAP/EBT CARD. THE INCENTIVE CAP REMOVAL ALIGNS WITH OUR ORIGINAL GUSNIP GOALS FOCUSED ON STIMULATING GROWTH IN LOCAL PRODUCE SALES TO SNAP CUSTOMERS. AN INCENTIVE CAP REMOVAL WILL PROVIDE GREATER PURCHASING POWER FOR SNAP RECIPIENTS TO ENSURE IMPROVED ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY LOCAL PRODUCE, INCLUDING INDIGENOUS FOODS SUCH AS 'ULU AND POI, WHILE BUILDING COMMUNITY SELF-RELIANCE, AND IMPROVING DISASTER RESILIENCE. THE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THAT WILL RESULT FROM OUR SPENDING OF OUR BUDGETED $3.6 MILLION IN INCENTIVE FUNDS WILL ALSO ADVANCE THE STATE'S OBJECTIVE TO DOUBLE FOOD PRODUCTION BY 2030, CREATING MUCH NEEDED ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SINCE 2014, THE FOOD BASKET (TFB) HAS PIONEERED NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO INCREASE THE PURCHASE OF HAWAI'I GROWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AMONG LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS PARTICIPATING IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP). UPON RECEIVING A 2017 FOOD INSECURITY NUTRITION INCENTIVE GRANT, TFB LAUNCHED A FULL-SCALE DA BUX DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS PROGRAM DISTRIBUTING PRODUCE INCENTIVES THROUGH MULTIPLE SNAP RETAIL OUTLETS ON HAWAI'I ISLAND. IN 2019, GOVERNOR IGE SIGNED ACT 153, ESTABLISHING THE HAWAI'I HEALTHY FOOD INCENTIVE PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDED STATE FUNDING FOR DA BUX. THIS FUNDING, IN CONJUNCTION WITH A FY 2019 GUS SCHUMACHER NUTRITION INCENTIVE GRANT, SET IN MOTION A STATEWIDE EXPANSION OF DA BUX, WHICH IS NOW IMPLEMENTED THROUGH 81 RETAILS SITES IN ALL FOUR COUNTIES. BY THE END OF 2020, 77% OF SNAP HOUSEHOLDS IN THE STATE LIVED WITHIN NORMAL SHOPPING DISTANCE OF A DA BUX RETAILER SELLING HAWAI'I GROWN PRODUCE ACCORDING TO A STUDY CONDUCTED BY DR. VANESSA BUCHTHAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I AT MANOA. TFB PROPOSES TO EXPAND OUR REACH IN 2021 WITH THE ADDITION OF 15 NEW RETAILERS IN RURAL AREAS THAT CURRENTLY HAVE LIMITED-TO-NO ACCESS TO A DA BUX RETAILER. THESE ADDITIONS AIM TO1) EXPAND PROGRAM ACCESS TO 90% OF THE STATE'S SNAP HOUSEHOLDS, 2) INCREASE AWARENESS AND USAGE OF DA BUX, AND 3) INCREASE LOCAL PRODUCE SALES FROM SNAP AND INCENTIVE PURCHASES. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION WILL BE DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HAWAI'I GOOD FOOD ALLIANCE MEMBERS INCLUDING: MALAMA KAUA'I, WAI'ANAE COAST COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CENTER, KOKUA KALIHI VALLEY COMPREHENSIVE FAMILY SERVICES, KAHUMANA ORGANIC FARMS, AND SUSTAINABLE MOLOKAI.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING, AND MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS

DA BUX STATE SNAP INCENTIVE PROJECT

DA BUX SNAP INCENTIVE PROJECT

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE KOKUA HARVEST PROJECT

HO`OLAHA KA HUA: A COMMUNITY FOOD HUB PROJECT OF THE FOOD BASKET, INC.