Editor,
How many of us live day-to-day worrying where our next meal is going to come from or how we will pay for it?
Many of us feel all New Mexicans have the opportunity to choose what to eat without wondering if they have enough money. Some of us are privileged and naive enough to think everyone has this opportunity.
Many New Mexicans do not have this basic human need - nutrition - fulfilled. A study conducted by students at UNM found many New Mexicans exist in "poor conditions." Many are making just enough to pay their bills, leaving little money for food. This can be devastating, particularly for families and the elderly. Students taking part in the Lobo Hunger Initiative have gathered studies and statistics that illustrate the massive nutritional insecurity in this state. Much of this information on New Mexico's hunger problem can be found at the student-created-and-run Lobo Hunger Initiative Web site,
HungryLobo.com.
Let's touch on some of the statistics that should be taken most seriously. The most recent USDA data showed New Mexico's food-insecurity rate is 50 percent higher than the national average. While the U.S. average is 11 percent, New Mexico's food-insecurity rate is 16.8 percent. The data ranks New Mexico as tied for the No. 2 position nationwide in food insecurity.
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According to the 2005 USDA data, 304,685 New Mexicans were food-insecure.
Only 238,000 of the nutritionally underserved people per year are served by the New Mexico Association of Food Banks. This means at least 66,685 New Mexicans may still be going hungry. According to the 2004 American Community Survey, 40 percent of New Mexicans are eligible for USDA commodities such as food stamps and nutritional
counseling.
How can we ignore these facts? Each day, the number of food-insecure New Mexicans increases. We must get involved in this issue. We can start by attending the Hunger Awareness Day in the SUB on Wednesday.
Christie Abeyta
UNM student
