By Anaridis Rodriguez -- March 3, 2010 The number of Massachusetts residents who use food stamps is increasing, but one ethnic group is still going hungry. Over half a million Bay State residents are on food stamps and Latinos make up twenty five percent of that number. But community leaders like Jenny Cintron, executive director of the Boston Hispanic Center, fear there are many more Latinos going hungry. She says Latino immigrants think they don't qualify for food assistance unless they are sworn citizens, a misconception she wants to eradicate. "As you know the immigrant community has been growing tremendously," she said. "A good portion of these communities are low income and are eligible for food stamps. However they do not apply. Basically is because of fear. Fear of deportation, perhaps in the future I want to apply become a citizen is that going to affect me," Cintron said in a WERS interview. There are approximately half a million Latinos living in Massachusetts, a figure that is not counting illegal immigrants. Cintron said illegal immigrants are often eligible for assistance, but along with fear there is a lack of information within the community. "In a lot of cases we have immigrant families who the parents are undocumented, but they do have dependent children who are citizens. They are unaware that they can apply, those independent children are entitled to receive food stamps and that's not going to jeopardize that family's immigration status," Cintron said. As far as legal residents, Cintron said the state of Massachusetts requires all residents to live in the state for five years before receiving aid. The Boston Hispanic Center will be taking on new workshops to educate Latinos in the area. "Our role is not only to do the online application for aid. Our role is to bring this education to the community," she said. According to the UMass Mauricio Gaston Institute, 24.9% of Latino families are living in poverty.
