Second Harvest, Tyson, LULAC Partner to Study Latino Hunger Patterns
CHICAGO -- The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), America's Second Harvest/The Nation's Food Bank Network (A2H) here, and Tyson Foods have formed a coalition that will produce an in-depth study of the extent and root causes of hunger among Latinos.
The partnership kicked off in conjunction with LULAC's annual convention, which is currently underway in Chicago. Tyson Foods also pledged to donate one million pounds of food over a period of three years to America's Second Harvest food banks serving Latino and Hispanic populations.
To commemorate the collaboration and kick off the pledge, representatives from Tyson Foods made an initial donation of a truckload of more than 35,000 pounds of protein products to the Chicago Food Depository, whose member agencies serve Latino communities in the Chicago area.
"These three organizations are uniquely qualified to address the issue of hunger in Latino communities," said Vicki Escarra, president and c.e.o. of America's Second Harvest. "We have worked with Tyson Foods for years to help alleviate hunger across the country, and by working with LULAC, we can specifically target hunger among the Latino population."
According to the 2007 Hunger Almanac, the nation's most comprehensive guide to understanding the facts about domestic hunger and poverty, approximately 17 percent of individuals served by food banks in America's Second Harvest's network are Latino or Hispanic.
"Food security is a human right, and LULAC believes everyone should have access to nutritional and culturally relevant food," said Rosa Rosales, national LULAC president.
The ongoing partnership will draw on the strengths of all of the partners to explore the issue of hunger in Latino populations, and to initiate solutions where possible.
The partnership kicked off in conjunction with LULAC's annual convention, which is currently underway in Chicago. Tyson Foods also pledged to donate one million pounds of food over a period of three years to America's Second Harvest food banks serving Latino and Hispanic populations.
To commemorate the collaboration and kick off the pledge, representatives from Tyson Foods made an initial donation of a truckload of more than 35,000 pounds of protein products to the Chicago Food Depository, whose member agencies serve Latino communities in the Chicago area.
"These three organizations are uniquely qualified to address the issue of hunger in Latino communities," said Vicki Escarra, president and c.e.o. of America's Second Harvest. "We have worked with Tyson Foods for years to help alleviate hunger across the country, and by working with LULAC, we can specifically target hunger among the Latino population."
According to the 2007 Hunger Almanac, the nation's most comprehensive guide to understanding the facts about domestic hunger and poverty, approximately 17 percent of individuals served by food banks in America's Second Harvest's network are Latino or Hispanic.
"Food security is a human right, and LULAC believes everyone should have access to nutritional and culturally relevant food," said Rosa Rosales, national LULAC president.
The ongoing partnership will draw on the strengths of all of the partners to explore the issue of hunger in Latino populations, and to initiate solutions where possible.