Equal Access to Services: Investigating Access to Food among the Rockbridge Area's Latino Population

Abstract

This paper compares and contrasts qualitative data and quantitative data regarding residents of Rockbridge County, Lexington (city), and Buena Vista (city), Virginia, which constitutes the Rockbridge area. The qualitative data was collected via in-person interviews with Rockbridge-area Latino residents. The U.S. Census Bureau, the American Community Survey, and Feeding America published the quantitative data. The two items of particular interest are Latino individuals and families' access to food, and awareness of community services and public benefit programs that provide nutritional assistance. The following report is designed to inform local food pantries about Rockbridge area Latinos' nutritional needs as well as the barriers this population encounters with regard to community services. It will also offer suggestions to community organizations interested in better serving this particular population. [From Introduction and Purpose]