of more modest means theres no life preserver for you and suddenly youre forced to make difficult decisions between the basic things that keep your home together in this may 15 2020 file photo people wait on a long line to receive a food bank donation at the barclays center in brooklyn ny stephanie keithgetty images file about a third of households with reported income under 30000 said they had serious problems affording food and had missed or delayed paying major bills to ensure enough to eat for everyone broken down by race that burden disproportionately weighs on black and brown americans thirtyone percent of black households and 26 of latino households say they face serious financial problems contrasted with 12 of white households communities of color already suffering a disproportionate impact from the virus are now more financially strapped it comes as the nation pushes past a sobering milestone in the pandemic 200000 covid19 deaths with the loss ravaging communities of color on a day when were reflecting on 200000 deaths we cant ignore the economic impact on those who are living through it dr richard besser president and ceo of the robert wood johnson foundation told abc news death is only one marker for the impact of this pandemic and its affecting society in major ways and the burden of that is not evenly felt what you see is the same groups that have suffered the most in terms of infection also suffering the greatest economic burden more latino black native american households suffer disproportionate financial strain amid pandemic poll one in five households nationwide report facing serious problems paying their mortgage or rent there too black latino and lowincome households take the greatest share of suffering serious issues with heating and cooling problems with pests water and environmental problems and severely cramped living conditions are also shouldered disproportionately by black latino and lowincome households the survey found i know what these numbers mean in peoples lives blendon said its a bit of the american dream that were going to make it were going to do better and suddenly its falling apart because you dont know how youre going to make it through the month experts say the hardships reported in the poll are likely even bleaker since government relief programs expired at the end of july and negotiations on another round of longterm aid have run up against a partisan divide in this june 28 2020 file photo people line up outside kentucky career center prior to its opening to find assistance with their unemployment claims in frankfort ky bryan woolstonreuters file it has to be worse because checks that these people surveyed would be receiving that would have helped some are no longer there blendon said i have no choice but to keep on going no matter what ames said of her situation dont know where this is going to end ive been waiting for better for a long time im not even