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Maria Cortez
Geography, Enviornmental Studies

Lise Nelson, Mentor

Coping with Hunger: Experiences of Food Insecure Latinos in Eugene, Oregon

Eugene, Oregon hosts a Latino community greatly affected by food insecurity. Almost half of all Latino adults in Oregon lived in food insecure households in 2002; a problem that is generally unrecognized by the local community. Food insecure Latinos living in the Eugene area struggle to cope with such conditions through a number of mechanisms including reliance on food stamps, food boxes, and help from family. When those resources are exhausted, they are left with few alternatives. This project examines the state of food insecurity and coping strategies among Latinos in Eugene while also exploring the role that social service agencies have in providing assistance to this community.