Farmworkers Supporting One Another – in Flood-Stricken Planada, California
As the flood waters recede and the farmworker communities in Planada, California begin to rebuild their lives, the United Farm Workers (“UFW”) are looking to help them. For most locals, who are low-income residents, the rain and flooded farmland has created a tremendous need for support. Farmworkers who were hoping to get a few hundred dollars a week this month during picking season are now left cleaning out their homes with little, to no money. As an important part of the farmworker community and strong believer of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta’s unionization efforts, the volunteers and UFW President, Teresa Romero have decided to come together and support Planada.
This weekend, the UFW will host a food relief event on Sunday morning, March 26, 2023 at the Cesar Chavez Middle School in Planada to help local farmworkers and victims. De Campesinxs A Campesinxs’ food relief team in partnership with the UFW’s Alivio team, will bring approximately $250,000 in food and Farm and Food Workers Relief Program assistance to Planada farmworkers. De Campesinxs farm worker leaders and volunteers, who work together almost weekly by providing food assistance locally in their own communities will band together from Oxnard, Lamont, Taft and Wasco to bring food relief processing and distribution to families and victims who have lost their homes and paychecks in Planada. Food Forward, a nonprofit food organization will donate dozens of pallets of fresh produce for 300-400 Planada families. In addition, sponsoring partners, Mi Pueblo Foundation and the Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys will also bring donated items and provide legal support.
Because of the tremendous financial hardship, the UFW will also bring aid in the form of the Farm and Food Workers Relief Grant Program, which is funded under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The FFWR was approved and the UFW was granted funding to extend this support to farmworkers at the end of 2022. During the food relief in Planada, UFW’s Alivio volunteers hope to assist over 100 applicants to apply for the FFWR Program’s one-time direct relief payment of $600.00 to qualifying frontline farm, grocery, and meatpacking workers for expenses incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is much needed financial relief during such an emergency.
Join us at the United Farm Workers Relief Event on Sunday March 26, 2023 from 10am-1pm at Cesar Chavez Middle school located at 161 South Plainsburg Rd., Planada, CA 95365.
