IMMIGRANTS PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN THE US ECONOMY AS CONSUMERS, WORKERS AND TAXPAYERS. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY OFTEN FACE WORSE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS, EARNING SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN NATIVE US BORN CITIZENS, FACING MORE VARIABLE EMPLOYMENT, AND HIGHER POVERTY RATES. ON TOP OF IT ALL, MANY IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE ARE OFTEN HESITANT TO APPLY FOR SUCH RESOURCES. LIMITED HOUSEHOLD INCOME CAN LEAD TO REDUCED FOOD ACCESS AND THEREFORE HIGHER FOOD INSECURITY. FOOD INSECURITY CAN ULTIMATELY LEAD TO WORSE HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS.WHILE THERE HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE RESEARCH REGARDING FI IN THE US ONLY A FEW NATIONAL STUDIES HAVE EXAMINED FI AMONGST IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLD. GIVEN THAT IMMIGRANTS MAY FACE GREATER ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AND LITTLE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, THEY REPRESENT AN AT-RISK POPULATION FOR FOOD INSECURITY. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO EXAMINE HOW EXTENSIVE FI IS AMONG DIFFERENT IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS AND TO INVESTIGATE HOW IMMIGRANTS USE AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO MANAGE FI. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS RESEARCH ARE TO: 1. EXAMINE HOW FOOD INSECURITY ACROSS DIFFERENT TYPES OF IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLDS IS AFFECTED BY BUSINESS CYCLES; 2. ESTIMATE HOW IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLDS SPEND TIME AND MONEY ON FOOD PREPARATION TO MANAGE FOOD INSECURITY. BY IDENTIFYING CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS TO IMMIGRANTS MAINTAINING ADEQUATE FOOD SECURITY, THIS SEED GRANT PROPOSAL WILL HELP US TO PREPARE TO DEVELOP A MORE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF PROGRAMS TARGETED TOWARDS REDUCING IMMIGRANT FOOD INSECURITY.