Raúl Grijalva: “I am very pleased to see a number of provisions in this bill that will help the Hispanic community, and specifically the…”

“I am very pleased to see a number of provisions in this bill that will help the Hispanic community, and specifically the migrant and seasonal farm working community to access the services they are entitled to. The average farm worker earns just $7,500 a year--leaving most of their families well below poverty level. The hardships that the children in these families face are only amplified by their migratory lifestyle. Their parents, who are poor, uneducated, and often with limited literacy in their native language, face many barriers in helping their children apply for services every time they move. These are the families that put food on our tables and these barriers are leaving their own children hungry. It is our responsibility to help them overcome these barriers because all children suffering from poverty deserve a nutritious lunch through this program. This bill includes a number of provisions that will help these eligible children gain access to free or reduced price lunches. It requires that materials sent to the parents be in an understandable and uniform format, and to the extent practicable, in a language that the parents can understand.”