Profiles of New Mexico's Population Living in Poverty

Hunger is one of the worst symptoms of poverty in our society. Nearly 1 in 5 New Mexicans is poor. There are no "pockets of poverty" in New Mexico. Although it is all around us, hunger can be invisible. That’s because your hungry friends, neighbors or co-workers are too proud to let you know. In 2005, over 25 million Americans sought food assistance from America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network. More than 238,000 New Mexicans came to the many hundreds of local emergency food agencies we supply. Their hunger may have been triggered by the death of a loved one or the loss of a job. Indeed, many of us are just one “tough break” away from hunger ourselves.

Here is a profile of what hunger looks like in your state and your county. And here is how you can help.