Inequality at the Table
Over 560,000 Michiganders identify as Hispanic/Latino, equaling nearly 6% of the state's population. Hispanic/Latino families have an important presence in Michigan and make critical contributions to our state's social, cultural, and economic prosperity.
However, unfortunately, both nationwide and in Michigan, Hispanic/Latino households are more than 2 times more likely to experience food insecurity than White households. This disparity is driven by unequal access to sufficient wages and high-quality education due to systemic racism and discrimination, alongside complexities related to immigration.
Food assistance programs also vary in their accessibility to immigrants without documentation, and uncertainty, distrust, and fear cause many Hispanic/Latino families to avoid using food assistance regardless of their individual or family's documentation status. Language and cultural barriers can further exacerbate the challenges faced by Hispanic/Latino households in accessing food assistance. Insufficiently translated materials, lack of knowledgeable agency staff, and limited outreach in preferred languages are important facets of this problem.
Hispanic/Latino Participants in Feeding MI Families
Feeding MI Families successfully enrolled 185 parents who identify as Hispanic/Latino, representing 15% of our total sample. This sample allowed us to dive deeply into the experiences of food access and food assistance among Michigan’s Hispanic/Latino families to identify specific strengths, barriers, and needs to reduce our state’s food security inequities.
A lower proportion of Hispanic/Latino families have ever participated in SNAP, likely because undocumented immigrants are not eligible for the program. Even if family members are documented or there is mixed documentation status within the household, individuals may be fearful to apply for benefits or unclear about their eligibility. Meanwhile, immigration status does not impact individuals’ eligibility for WIC, which may be driving the high WIC participation rates among families participating in Feeding MI Families.
Interestingly, Hispanic/Latino families were more likely than non-Hispanic/Latino families to report receiving food from friends or family, but much less likely to report having received money for food from friends or family. Culturally, Hispanic/Latino families make sure that others are fed. They often cook large portions and expect that guests will be eating with their family. However, many feel that it is inappropriate to ask others for money and having to do so would elicit strong feelings of shame and embarrassment.
What We Learned
We see that Hispanic/Latino parents report higher satisfaction with all food assistance programs than non-Hispanic/Latino families. In our interviews with families, nearly all expressed great appreciation for assistance, no matter how big or small.
En estos momentos la comida es muy cara, y tengo que escoger entre pagar bills y comprar comida, en lugares donde dan comida, como [removed], no pueden proveer suficiente para todas la familias, muchas veces yo he ido, y me dicen que ya no hay nada, que vuelva al siguiente día.
Right now food is very expensive and I have to choose between paying bills and purchasing groceries. In places where they give free food, like [removed], they can't provide enough for all of the families. I've had multiple times where they tell me that there is no more food available and to come back the next day.
Discrimination, Mistreatment, and Fear
Looking at experiences of discrimination, Hispanic/Latino parents are slightly less likely to report being judged for using food assistance than non-Hispanic/Latino families. However, they are much more likely to report fearing mistreatment by food assistance programs. In our conversations with families, we learned that this is driven by ongoing fear and confusion related to undocumented families’ eligibility for programs. Increasing the number of Spanish speaking case workers and widely and clearly communicating how ones’ immigration status impacts program eligibility would likely reduce fear of mistreatment.
Pues a veces si da verguenza arrimarte porque como uno no habla ingles o algo, si tiene miedo uno que le niegan el apoyo. Miedo a no ser atendido nada mas por ser de otro pais.
Well, at times you feel a sense of shame to go because you don’t speak English and one has the fear that they will deny the support. Fear of not being served just because you are from a different county.