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Extended Migrant Camp Residence for Farmworker Families with School-Age Children
Migrant farmworkers who reside in California’s subsidized migrant camps can remain in the camps only from May 1st of a given year to the end of November. By law, they must then move at least 50 miles from the camp in order to reside at the camp the following year. Their children’s education is seriously interrupted, since they arrive at the camps at the end of the school year in May and are required to vacate their apartments two months into the following school year in November.

The CFWF is working with Richard Hobbs, a San José immigration attorney to change the state law requirement so that migrant farmworkers have the option of finding housing and remianing in the school district for the duration of the school year. Their children will then have a greater opportunity for academic success. Richard Hobbs has written new legislation entitled “The Migrant Farmworker Children Educational Protection Act of 2010.” Assemblyman Paul Fong of San José will carry the legislation forward.

Scott Hallgren and the Buena Vista Club
Scott Hallgren’s first experiences with farmworkers occurred when he was a student
at De Anza College and was required to attend a Farmworker Reality Tour (see
information below). Scott claims that meeting and interacting with farmworkers, and
learning of their difficult lives changed his life forever. In order to make a difference
in the lives of farmworkers, Scott started the Buena Vista Club. On Saturdays when
farmworker parents are working in the fields, farmworker children at the Buena Vista
Migrant Camp can now engage in recreational and leadership skill-building activities
from late morning to early afternoon.

Scott also has developed and teaches English classes on Tuesday and Thursday
evenings to farmworker parents at the migrant pre-school while their children work on
homework or socialize with other children in the camp. Scott’s programs have been
so successful and have made such a difference in the lives of farmworker families that
he is planning to introduce the programs to the San Andreas Housing Project where
farmworkers live in affordable housing units year round.

Scott’s travel expenses from the San José area to the migrant camp plus the costs of
athletic equipment, snacks, prizes, etc. are considerable on a student budget. Please
consider giving generously to our organization so that we can continue to offer and
expand Scott’s programs.

Click here to read about Scott and view photos.

An Army of Tutors for School-Age Children in Watsonville
As a result of what they have learned on the Farmworker Reality Tours, literally a small dedicated army of De Anza College students and voluteers make weekly visits to farmworker families with school-age children. The students interact with farmworkers and learn about their lives while assisting the children with English skills and with homework assignments.

Farmworker Family Christmas
Each year the CFWF is notified of families in Watsonville and Salinas that do not have the resources to enjoy a Christmas celebration and provide gifts for their children. Dr. López’ father, David López, dons his Santa costume and let’s these families and children know that they are not forgotten, that Santa loves all children.

Recent years have been especially difficult for farmworkers living year-round on the Central Coast. The downturn in the economy and rising cost of living have pushed them further into poverty. These days they are even less able to provide for their children. Please support us in carrying on a family tradition by providing funds for the purchase of gifts and coats for the farmworker parents and their children so that we can continue to bring joy and excitement to families that deserve so much and have so little.

Click here to read about and view photos from Farmworker Family Christmas 2009.

Farmworker Family Christmas 2011
This year CFWF focused on three families in Watsonville for Farmworker Family Christmas: 

• One family’s home is a converted shed with no potable water in a strawberry field.  CFWF volunteers surprised the family with a Christmas tree, ornaments, and gifts to brighten up their uninspiring living situation. 
• We provided gifts for a family in which one parent works in the mushroom industry and the other works in the berry industry.  2011 was a difficult year for the family.  Thousands of dollars were required to pay for attorney fees and paper processing in order for all family members to obtain legal residency.
• Our third family is a single parent family with three young daughters.  Because of the shortage of affordable housing options for year-round Watsonville farmworker residents, many families live in substandard housing situations. The children’s mother has been on a waiting list for two years for an apartment at the two affordable residences designed for low-income workers.  In the meantime, she has been virtually homeless; forced to move from place with her daughters while waiting for an affordable apartment. CFWF provided the mother and her three daughters with Christmas gifts from Santa.

Click here view photos from Farmworker Family Christmas 2011.

Computers and Printers for the Buena Vista Migrant Camp
The one desire that all farmworker families ardently express is that they want their children educated so that they become eligible for a career and won’t have to work in the fields. However, because of impoverished salaries, most cannot afford to purchase computers and printers for the household. Click here to read more and view photos.

Farmworker Reality Tours
One of the goals of the Center for Farmworker Families is to effectively bridge the experiential and communication gap between the farmworker community and those of us who enjoy the fruits of their hard labor.

Farmworker housing is typically located in remote areas far from cities and towns, thereby rendering farmworkers invisible to the general public. Farmworker Reality Tours correct this disconnect by allowing participants to meet, dialogue with, and hear the testimonials of farmworkers.

The tours challenge participants to better understand the conditions of Mexican farmworkers in Northern California by sharing in their lives, food, and living quarters. In 2009, requests for Farmworker Reality Tours increased significantly from a variety of organizations. The San José Human Agenda organization has always sponsored a yearly FW Reality Tour. In 2009, De Anza College English class instructors, Marc Coronado and Karen Chow, brought several classes of students to the fields to learn about the lives of farmworkers.

Click here to view photos of a Farmworker Reality Tour

For more information about upcoming Reality Tours, please click here.

Yoga for Farmworkers at the Buena Vista Migrant Camp
Farm work in agricultural fields is the second most hazardous industry after construction in the United States.  Farmworkers are prone to a variety of debilitating injuries incurred from working bent over all day (strawberries), lifting heavy boxes of produce, carrying heavy boxes, falling from high platforms onto concrete in the mushroom industry, etc. 

Click here to view more pictures from our California project.