05-12-2025  4:28 am   •   PDX and SEA Weather

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NORTHWEST NEWS

Senator-designate Courtney Neron to Serve Remainder of Term Held by Late Senator Aaron Woods

County commissioners in Washington, Clackamas and Yamhill counties have chosen State Rep. Courtney Neron yesterday to serve in Senate Dist.13. The district covers Wilsonville, Sherwood, King City, Tigard and parts of Beaverton and Yamhill County. It was most recently represented by the late Sen. Aaron Woods

Bill to Help Churches, Nonprofits Turn Extra Property into Affordable Housing Advances to Senate

Faith leaders estimate there are thousands of acres of prime real estate being offered by shrinking congregations. 

Food For All Oregonians Bill Moves Forward For Young Children

SB 611 would extend food benefits to all eligible young children, regardless of immigration status.

Albina Vision Trust, No More Freeways Clash During City Council Hearing

No More Freeways claims ODOT is planning larger expansion than expected.

NEWS BRIEFS

East Portland TIF District Community Leadership Committees – Applications Now Open

Each district-specific committee’s purpose is to advise PHB and Prosper Portland staff, the Portland City Council, and the Prosper...

Merkley, Wyden Blast Trump Administration’s Attacks on Head Start

42 lawmakers write to RFK Jr. demanding answers on Trump admin’s actions undermining Head Start as Trump reportedly plans to...

Alerting People About Rights Is Protected Under Oregon Senate Bill

Senate Bill 1191 says telling someone about their rights isn’t a crime in Oregon. ...

1803 Fund Makes Investment in Black Youth Education

The1803 Fund has announced a decade-long investment into Self Enhancement Inc. and Albina Head Start. The investment will take shape...

Senate Democrats Keep School Book Decisions Local and Fair

The Freedom to Read bill says books depicting race, sex, religion and other groups have to be judged by the same standards as all...

OPINION

Cuts to Minority Business Development Agency Leaves 3 Staff

6B CDFI affordable capital for local investment also at risk ...

The Courage of Rep. Al Green: A Mandate for the People, Not the Powerful

If his colleagues truly believed in the cause, they would have risen in protest beside him, marched out of that chamber arm in arm with him, and defended him from censure rather than allowing Republicans to frame the narrative. ...

Bending the Arc: Advancing Equity in a New Federal Landscape

January 20th, 2025 represented the clearest distillation of the crossroads our country faces. ...

Trump’s America Last Agenda is a Knife in the Back of Working People

Donald Trump’s playbook has always been to campaign like a populist and govern like an oligarch. But it is still shocking just how brutally he went after our country’s working people in the first few days – even the first few hours – after he was...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

The Skanner News

Twenty-five percent of African-American households suffered from food insecurity in 2009—compared to 11 percent of white households—according to the most recent data on hunger released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Food insecure households are those that struggle to put food on the table at some point in the year. Nationally, one in seven—or 14.7 percent—of U.S. households experienced food insecurity in 2009.  The Skanner News Video: How to help families in America.

"The national figures are record-breaking, but the fact that such a disparity exists between African-Americans and whites shows that we must call on Congress to do more—especially for communities with the greatest need," said Rev. Derrick Boykin, a regional organizer for Bread for the World. "Congress must act now to ensure that programs designed to mitigate hunger are well-funded."

In 2010, a record number of people – 42 million – needed help from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, which used to be called food stamps. And 22.6 percent of them were African American. As a result 90 percent of African-American children will receive SNAP benefits at some point before age 20, compared to 49 percent of all U.S. children.

Congress reconvened today for a lame duck session with several important unfinished agenda items, including extending tax benefits for low-income working families and reauthorizing the Child Nutrition Act, which will improve school breakfast and lunch programs along with WIC and summer food sites.

Unemployment, always higher than average in black communities, is a key factor in poverty. Nearly 35 percent of African-American children currently live in households that struggle to put food on the table, compared to 16.7 percent of white children.

"In the African-American community in particular, high rates of unemployment have led to dramatic increases in poverty and food insecurity rates over the past few years," Boykin added. "As African-Americans grapple with the ongoing impacts of the recession, Congress needs to ensure that programs like SNAP, the national school meal programs, and WIC are funded at levels to support this time of need."

The figures are dismal too for Hispanic families. According to the USDA figures, nearly 27 percent of Hispanics suffer from food insecurity and nearly 35 percent of Hispanic children live in households that struggle to put food on the table.

Image: LA Foodbank from the video.