Renowned Latina chef helps spread word about free summer meals for kids, teens
Latina chef author, and TV personality Lorena Garcia is partnering with "No Kid Hungry" to let families know of free summer meals available for children.
Latina chef, author and TV personality Lorena Garcia is partnering with a national nonprofit group to let families know there are free meals available for children and teenagers as more people face hunger and food insecurity amid high food prices.
“We’re really trying to raise awareness, particularly this summer, about the meals that are available — parents and caregivers can find free summer meal sites right in their neighborhood," the Venezuelan American chef said about No Kid Hungry, the nonprofit group based in Washington, D.C., which helps feed children and teenagers across the nation.
Even before the current issues of inflation and steeper food prices, the Covid-19 pandemic fallout resulted in a loss of jobs or reduced hours for millions in the country, leading to more families struggling to put food on the table, according to an analysis by Feeding America, which focuses on equitable access to food.
In 2020, food insecurity for Latinos increased by more than 19%, with Hispanics 2.5 times more likely to experience food insecurity than their white counterparts. Latino children were more than twice as likely to live in food-insecure households than white children, according to the nonprofit group.
A child in Greater New Haven receives summer meals distributed by food truck.Courtesy Share our StrengthAdditionally, census data indicates that 1 in 6 Latinos live in poverty compared to 1 in 16 non-Latino whites.
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