Hirono tours Kauai food bank as FEMA legislation advances
U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono visited Hawaii Foodbank Kauai in Puhi and learned about Hurricane Lowell's effect on food insecurity. During the visit, a FEMA bill passed, according to the report. The senator asked about the storm's impact, according to her Kauai field representative, Gerald Ako.
Sen. Mazie Hirono visited Hawaii Foodbank Kauai in Puhi on Oct. 8, 2026. She saw locally grown sweet potatoes volunteers used to fill orders and asked how Hurricane Lowell affected food insecurity, what challenges the food bank faced, and what help it needed.
Manager Wes Perreira said unemployment surprised him. Storm-related hotel and restaurant closures left many workers jobless and facing food insecurity. A federal disaster declaration for Lowell, approved Wednesday after Gov. Josh Green’s Sept. 9 request, supports debris removal and repairs to roads, bridges, and public facilities, but not direct household aid. A FEMA bill passed during the visit, per the report.
The visit may draw attention to how natural disasters compound hunger in communities dependent on tourism and hospitality. Unemployed workers and families on Kauai could remain vulnerable if federal recovery aid focuses on public infrastructure rather than direct household relief. The advancing FEMA measure may shape future disaster response, though its practical effect on local food banks and residents is uncertain. Lawmakers’ attention could influence resources, but outcomes depend on implementation.