Hunger and food insecurity in the Latino community

The rate of food insecurity in Latino households is almost one in five, according to a study this month from the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization.

Among the report’s key findings is that nearly one in five Latinos (19.6%) suffers from limited or lack of access to nutritious food each year, compared to 12% of all Americans. The report identifies a number of areas that contribute to this figure, as well as examines the links between hunger and problems such as obesity and physical and mental health among children.

The Washington Post article about the report quotes an old family friend, Beatriz Otero, who has led a remarkable group of bilingual charter school and early childhood education programs in Washington's Columbia Heights neighborhood.