Hunger increased after September 11th
Title
Hunger increased after September 11th
Vtmbh article article file
Vtmbh article article order
5
Vtmbh article author
María del Carmen Amado
Vtmbh article blurb
Come back another day or try another shelter, is a phrase heard all too frequently these days in soup kitchens among Latino residents. The majority of those in need worked at the World Trade Center prior to the terrorist attacks, but did not receive benefits or wages owed them for fear of being reported to the INS.
Vtmbh article body
A hunger crisis facing New York after September 11th led thousands of Latino residents to seek out free meals, such as are available at soup kitchens and food pantries. According to a report by the organization and food bank Food for Survival, Latinos account for 28.4 percent of those who pay daily visits to the 187 soup kitchens and 34.5 percent of those at the 456 food pantries throughout the city. These numbers reflect a steady increase in individuals seeking assistance in the eight months following September 11th.
The demand for bread has grown 80 percent in the past year, obligating one of every five food pantries and one of every six soup kitchens in the city to turn people away hungry, explained Lucy Cabrera, president of Food for Survival. Come back another day or try another shelter, is a phrase heard all too frequently these days in soup kitchens among Latino residents. These people are unemployed or make very little money. The need is greatest in Brooklyn and Manhattan, said Cabrera. In these boroughs, more than 76 percent of soup kitchens report overcrowding.
Help is being sought out more among the unemployed and homeless, and hunger is at the highest level the organization has seen in twenty years, said Cabrera. In one soup kitchen in Queens, daily intake went from 2,000 to 3,700 people in the initial time after the attacks, and has reached 6,000 in the past few months, the majority of those being undocumented workers, said a representative of the Richmond Hills Christian Church soup kitchen, which serves residents in Woodhaven, South Ozone Park and Jamaica.
The majority of those in need worked at the World Trade Center prior to the terrorist attacks, but did not receive benefits or wages owed them for fear of being reported to the INS. The food pantries and soup kitchens are the only places where undocumented Latinos are not at risk, explained Cabrera. She added that the publication of the report will hopefully serve to secure more federal aid as well as increase food collection and donation. Those in need of assistance or who wish to donate food can call 1-866-NYC FOOD for more information.
The demand for bread has grown 80 percent in the past year, obligating one of every five food pantries and one of every six soup kitchens in the city to turn people away hungry, explained Lucy Cabrera, president of Food for Survival. Come back another day or try another shelter, is a phrase heard all too frequently these days in soup kitchens among Latino residents. These people are unemployed or make very little money. The need is greatest in Brooklyn and Manhattan, said Cabrera. In these boroughs, more than 76 percent of soup kitchens report overcrowding.
Help is being sought out more among the unemployed and homeless, and hunger is at the highest level the organization has seen in twenty years, said Cabrera. In one soup kitchen in Queens, daily intake went from 2,000 to 3,700 people in the initial time after the attacks, and has reached 6,000 in the past few months, the majority of those being undocumented workers, said a representative of the Richmond Hills Christian Church soup kitchen, which serves residents in Woodhaven, South Ozone Park and Jamaica.
The majority of those in need worked at the World Trade Center prior to the terrorist attacks, but did not receive benefits or wages owed them for fear of being reported to the INS. The food pantries and soup kitchens are the only places where undocumented Latinos are not at risk, explained Cabrera. She added that the publication of the report will hopefully serve to secure more federal aid as well as increase food collection and donation. Those in need of assistance or who wish to donate food can call 1-866-NYC FOOD for more information.
Vtmbh article date
2002-09-04
Vtmbh article edition
33
Vtmbh article hit count
103
Vtmbh article keywords
Vtmbh article line breaks
1
Vtmbh article original language
Spanish
Vtmbh article publication
Hoy
Vtmbh article section
news
Vtmbh article thumb
Vtmbh article title
Hunger increased after September 11th
Vtmbh article translator
Hannah Emmerich
Source
born-digital
Media Type
article
Original Name
Come back another day or try another shelter, is a phrase heard all too frequently these days in sou
Created by Author
yes
Described by Author
no
Date Entered
2002-09-04
Collection
Citation
“Hunger increased after September 11th,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed October 1, 2026, https://911.dev.chnm.gmu.edu/items/1305/.