As Deputy Administrator for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), I was honored to join our partner, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), community leaders, families and a representative from the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative at a press briefing to promote promising practices and policies that can help turn the tide on child hunger and obesity and improve access to nutritious foods for Hispanic children and their families. The press briefing took place the day after USDA’s release of the 2009 Household Food Security Report in the United States. NCLR’s press conference was an effort to draw attention to the fastest growing and youngest population across the United States who have difficulty putting healthy meals on the table, due to inadequate access to nutritious food. Hispanic children are among those at greatest risk for overweight and obesity and, at the same time, are the most likely to be living with hunger. Both obesity and hunger have serious implications for children’s health and well-being -- all of which are priorities of the Obama administration.
