FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
June 9, 2015 Kathy Mimberg
kmimberg@nclr.org
(202) 776-1714
WASHINGTON, D.C.—With summer vacation on the horizon, this can be a particularly vulnerable time for the nation’s children, as many will lose access to free or reduced-priced balanced meals offered during the school year. As hard-working parents struggle to make ends meet financially, ensuring that children can obtain healthy, affordable food remains an important issue. “Profiles of Latino Health: A Closer Look at Latino Child Nutrition,” a new series of fact sheets from NCLR (National Council of La Raza), focuses on the health and well-being of Latino children whose families struggle to put food on the table. Topics include Latino child hunger, obesity, household expenditures on food and participation in federal nutrition assistance programs that combat hunger and poor nutrition, particularly during these vulnerable months.
“This profile series is one of the tools NCLR is using to raise awareness about the nutrition landscape for Latino children and families and the disparities that exist. One key takeaway is that child hunger, obesity, poverty, and lack of access to healthy food do not occur in isolation. With the school year ending, now is an appropriate time to remind ourselves that hunger and nutrition issues do not take a vacation,” said Steven T. Lopez, Manager, Health Policy Project, NCLR.
Key findings from the first three briefs in “Profiles of Latino Health” include:
• Nearly one in four Latino families struggle with food insecurity.
• Latino households spend a greater share of their income on food than White households.
• Latino children experience overweight and obesity at higher rates than other racial and ethnic groups.
“Latino youth are among the hungriest children in America and need greater access to nutritious food. It is shameful that one in three Hispanic children in this great nation lives with hunger, and far too many do not get proper nutrition. Instead of cutting benefits to poverty-stricken families, as some states are doing, we must put policies and programs in place that reach every corner of every community, ensuring that all children have the food they need to thrive,” said Delia Pompa, Senior Vice President of Programs, NCLR.
Nine more briefs on Latino child nutrition issues will be posted weekly at www.nclr.org. In addition, NCLR offers information through previous “Profiles of Latino Health” series, health tips and recipes, connections to NCLR Affiliates that help people apply for nutrition programs, and facts on school and summer meals in English and Spanish.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
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