Black and Latino residents are three to four times more likely to be financially vulnerable than their white counterparts, according to a study by the Financial Health Network earlier this year. For many, that means they are unable to pay all of their bills on time, and about 4 in 10 reported that they experienced food insecurity because of it, in the last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Government at all levels looks to improve food access, advancing racial justice and equity for low-income, underserved communities. Still, barriers like immigration status, language, and transportation prevent Latinos from tapping into resources. Adding to the dismay, pandemic-era benefit programs have lapsed. Many of the food pantry pop-ups that sprang up for a couple of months, stopped when government funding ran out. But they had already become a food source community members below the poverty level relied upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response to the need, the Gage Park Latinx Council<\/a>, a queer, femme, DACA, and Latinx-led grassroots organization based on Chicago’s Southwest Side, launched the year-round initiative El Mercadito – a free community market that provides culturally reflective food to families in our community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Antonio Santos, Executive Director and Founder of the GPLXC was a guest on the podcast,\u00a0\u201c3 Questions With\u2026\u201d<\/a>, hosted by\u00a0Hugo Balta<\/a>, publisher of IL Latino News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n