Thread: Study: Hispanic Immigrants Struggling To Feed Families

http://www.wral.com/news/9902977/detail.html

RALEIGH, N.C. -- About 60 percent of Hispanic immigrants in parts of North Carolina and Virginia are struggling to put food on the table for their families, according to a new study from researchers at Wake Forest University.

Four surveys covering 317 Latino families _ mostly from rural North Carolina _ found that many cash-strapped immigrants showed signs of severe hunger. More than 25 percent said their children did not have enough food to eat and sometimes had to go all day without a full meal.

"These people are living very close to the bone," said researcher Sara Quandt, the lead author of the study, one of the first to analyze hunger in the U.S. immigrant population.

Food shortages among Hispanic immigrants were far higher than the national average of about 13 percent, the study found. Results from the four surveys _ taken in different regions _ found that between 49 and 71 percent of respondents described levels of food insecurity, meaning that they were constantly struggling to provide for their families.

As many as 19 percent _ five times more than normal _ reported a worse problem: poverty-inflicted hunger.

Quandt noted from interviews that many immigrants were ashamed to seek services, and some _ possibly those who had entered the U.S. illegally _ were unable to get government food aid altogether.

"The safety net for people that are hungry in this country are food stamps," Quandt said. "So when you aren't earning a living wage and can't access services, it certainly becomes an issue for people."

The study, which Quandt indicated could be representative of Hispanic immigrant populations around the nation, did not question participants about their legal status. However, a number of respondents reported sending money back to family members in Mexico.

"This study is showing that these people who immigrated here in hopes of improving their financial situation are struggling in their new environment," said Edward Frongillo Jr., an expert in public nutrition at the University of South Carolina who did not participate in the study. He noted that food instability for children has been tied to poor performance in school, behavior problems and a higher risk of suicide.

North Carolina has been a magnet for Hispanic immigrants over the past decade. North Carolina has been a magnet for Hispanic immigrants over the past decade, with a Latino population burgeoning to more than 553,000, according to state data.

But Raleigh-based advocacy group El Pueblo said the plight of the Latino population is largely ignored.

"We have struggles advocating on behalf of Latinos for basic rights like education and public health care," said Zulayka Santiago, executive director of El Pueblo. "Because Latinos are often categorized along with the undocumented population, efforts to meet the needs of this population unfortunately turns into a polarized debate _ the questions of rights and legality.

"For us, it's always issue of basic human rights."

The Wake Forest study, financed by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is reported in the October issue of the Journal of Nutrition.

On the Net:

Journal of Nutrition: http://jn.nutrition.org/

Wake Forest University: http://www.wfu.edu

What a load of crap.
I don't see any that are starving and they certainly have enough money for SUV's, big Pick-Up Trucks and beer.

They need to go home where they wouldn't have it so bad.

But JohnB,

What a load of crap.
I don't see any that are starving and they certainly have enough money for SUV's, big Pick-Up Trucks and beer

.......

don't you realize that they want it ALL, and that they have

'"For us, it's always issue of basic human rights."

to have food stamps AND beer and SUV's!

Well let me ask them this? How much food did they have in their country? Do they not get more food here? Lets compare apples to apples before we start with the bleeding heart gig!

These immigrants are sending a big part of their wages back home so it is no surprise they are struggling to make ends meet. I believe many of these illegal immigrants have realized the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Lesson learned you cant circumvent the law and expect not to have pitfalls.

This reporter has probably never been in the grocery checkout line behind one of these women that don't speak English, with the anchor baby in the cart, paying for 3 cartloads of groceries with food stamps, then loading them into a new car.
I have!!!

Many immigrants think America will give them food, housing, health care and a good job. Reality is that many AMERICANS are barely getting by as well.
I am SSSOOOOO glad my hubby got out of construction years ago. We struggled then. I know the competition is worse now.
Why doesn't this article mention poverty among American Citizens?

And don't these kids get FREE breakfast and lunch at school?

These immigrants are sending a big part of their wages back home so it is no surprise they are struggling to make ends meet.

The majority of Americans are keeping their money and still are struggling to make ends meet and they do it without the benefit of the freebies that these "starving" illegals get.

I here there is truck loads of spinach sitting around.

Many immigrants think America will give them food, housing, health care and a good job. Reality is that many AMERICANS are barely getting by as well

Many illegal aliens do. They share housing, don't pay for insurance, taxes, health care, property taxes, etc. AND send money home.

We have to pay all the above, and many of us help our families also.

You bet we're struggling.