Washington, D.C. – The National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) continues developing innovative ways to engage, inform and listen to the communities we serve. For 51 years, NHCOA has worked to improve the lives of Hispanic older adults, their families, and caregivers. Even during a pandemic, we will continue to work towards that mission.
Considering the current public health crisis, NHCOA is hosting a series of webinars focused on issues that are important to our communities during this pandemic. These webinars allow us to continue to serve our mission while protecting communities.
In a continuation of our dedication to disseminate timely and accurate information while also creating culturally and linguistically sensitive spaces in which Hispanic older adults, their families and caregivers can come together to discuss issues impacting their lives while connecting with local leaders, advocates, service providers and policymakers to work towards solutions that address the community’s specific needs; this webinar will be one of those spaces.
NHCOA’s Webinar: “Food Security during COVID-19” will be conducted in English on June 17, 2020 from 2:00 – 3:30 PM (EST). You can register for the webinar at: https://bit.ly/2yUj26z . This webinar will educate our communities about hunger, food insecurity, and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Food insecurity is described as the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. In 2018, 11.15% of households were food insecure at least some time during the year. Dr. Yanira Cruz, President and CEO of NHCOA, emphasizes that, “Prior to the pandemic, data from Feeding America showed us that 5.3 million older adults were food insecure in 2018. These rates vary by region. For instance, in that same year, here in the District of Columbia, 14.3% of older adults experience food insecurity. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity has only grown in the United States. This is particularly true for older adults, many who have been isolated and had programs such as meals on wheels suspended during this time. We must come together to address the real challenges and needs of older adults.”
