As I write this in Austin, I’m wondering what I’ll have for dinner…tacos or barbecue?
It’s a tough choice, but nearly one third of Latinos are wondering if they’ll eat anything at all tonight. According to current figures from the USDA, 23.3% of Hispanic households in this country face food insecurity. For nearly one in four of us, this means wondering when we’ll eat next, and how we’ll feed our aging parents and young children.
The problem of hunger in the Latino community is very real, and it won’t go away unless we all get involved. That’s the objective of our NO MAS HAMBRE initiative, to educate and engage Latinos on this alarming health crisis. Later this week, on Thursday, June 19, we’ll convene our third annual NO MAS HAMBRE Summit in our nation’s capital, and I’m personally inviting you to take time out from your busy schedules and join us.
Nothing affects us more personally, more viscerally than hunger. It’s an issue that can’t be forgotten. We worry that our young people are dropping out of school, but what if they haven’t had anything to eat that day? Food insecurity leads to other health-related problems, and our children are at much greater risk of obesity and diabetes than their non-Hispanic counterparts. According to the AARP Foundation, hunger is particularly acute among the Latino elderly, of which 18% are at the poverty level. And the people who need it most remain under enrolled in SNAP, or food stamps, the federal government’s primary safety net. No one in America should go hungry, though nearly 50 million of us do. But Latinos are twice as likely to go hungry as other Americans. It’s the most glaring health disparity facing us today.
That’s why LATINO Magazine together with partners such as AARP, Wells Fargo, and Denny’s launched NO MAS HAMBRE. We believe that if we can spread the word about this crisis, then Latinos will want to get involved. So pleasejoin us at our third annual NO MAS HAMBRE Summit on Thursday, June 19 at the Capital Hilton, 1001 16th St. NW in Washington, DC. You’ll hear distinguished speakers such as Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham and Debbie Shore, founder of Share Our Strength, and participate in roundtable discussions with community leaders, anti-hunger advocates, and government officials. A full agenda is posted at Latinomagazine.com. Registration begins at 8 AM and the conference will take place from 9 AM-12 noon. Attendance is free so please reserve your place online at http://www.latinomagazine.com/registration.htm
Por favor, help us spread the word about NO MAS HAMBRE. Because hunger in the Latino community is something that we can’t ignore. Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham will deliver keynote remarks shortly after 9 AM so please arrive promptly. ¡Gracias!
Alfredo Estrada is the editor of LATINO Magazine. For more information about NO MAS HAMBRE, please contact him at ajestrada@latinomagazine.com.
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