HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii is facing a potential food crisis as federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits expire and federal workers miss paychecks, state and food bank officials told lawmakers Tuesday.

The state recently learned it will not receive $60 million per month that helps feed 170,000 SNAP recipients. At the same time, federal employees, contractors and military families are missing paychecks and turning to local food banks for help.

“So we’re looking at tens of thousands of households at risk and being impacted severely because of the missed paychecks and layoffs,” said Elia Herman, Hawaii Foodbank advocacy director.

Food banks face impossible gap

The Hawaii Foodbank distributes 2.4 million meals per year, but federal SNAP benefits pay for more

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