LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Chef Cesar Zapata knows first hand the struggles Latino families face. He fondly remembers his mother telling him what "SNAP" meant to their family.
"To this day she tells us that she is very thankful that she was able to benefit from snap because if not, then we couldn't have food," Zapata said. "She couldn't have been able to pay her bills, or she couldn't have been able to pay rent. So we probably would have been in the streets."
Zapata is a member of the "No Kid Hungry" leadership council.
No Kid Hungry, a national campaign and UnidosUS, the country's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy group are coming together to make eligible Latino families aware of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as SNAP.
"Federal nutrition programs like snap can help, but they only work if families can access them," Zapata said.
Families can use their benefits at local programs like the pop-up Veggie Buck Truck. There, you can get a pound of fresh produce for about $1, putting those snap dollars to good use.
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Southern Nevada Health District community health educator Elika Nemateian says, "The great thing about the pop-up produce market today is that we accept snap benefits. Anybody who uses their SNAP EBT card is able to get a coupon that they can use for future purchases."
The pop-up produce markets are scheduled Wednesdays at the Downtown Bonneville Transit Center or the Southern Nevada Health District at Decatur and Meadows lane through the fall.
