JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER

Volunteers sort through food items to be given to waiting vehicles during a food distribution drive at Aloha Stadium in Halawa on Thursday.

The Hawaii National Guard has been has been activated to support statewide relief efforts and large-scale community food distribution programs in the wake of the record-setting federal government shutdown and the legal battle over food aid benefits, according to state officials.

Gov. Josh Green and Lt. Gov Sylvia Luke requested that Adjutant General Stephen F. Logan place Hawaii Army National Guard members on active duty status as of this morning to assist operations in every county, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

Guard members have already helped transport food donations collected through the Kokua Food Drive at state library branches to food banks for distribution to families in need, officials said.

RELATED STORY: Hawaii SNAP recipients to receive full federal food aid benefits

Guard members will also be providing on-site support at Hawaii Foodbank distribution events, assisting with traffic control, transporting supplies and distributing food to residents, according to the news release. Those foodbank distributions include: Sunday at Leeward Community College and Thursday at Aloha Stadium.

The Hawaii National Guard members will receive state pay while serving under state active duty status, officials said.

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The federal government shutdown, which began Nov. 1, is now the longest in the country’s history.