About Us
How We're Helping
* Read about us in "What Can be Done for the Children?"
* Read a recent article about us in the Ojai Valley Guide
* Read a story about us in the Ventura County Star
* Listen to a podcast about us on Only in America
We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization focused on helping the families of Ventura County's farm workers. We receive contributions of cash and in-kind gifts (clothing, bedding, books, household items, toys, furniture, etc.), sponsor activities for children, and provide assistance with such matters as healthcare, childcare, education and housing.
COVID-19 Activities
We are busier than ever during the current virus pandemic, coordinating volunteers, shopping for food and diapers, ordering and delivering masks, purchasing toys and games for children whose parents work during the day, and just checking in daily with the many Ventura County farm-working families we serve to see if there are other needs we can meet.
Food and Masks
We purchased and delivered rice, beans, flour, and over 4,000 masks to farm workers and their families. The masks were all made by friends and volunteers.
Diapers
Here Judy and a volunteer prepare to deliver diapers. Each month we deliver hundreds of donated and purchased diapers and rolls of toilet paper to farm worker families with infants.
Checking on our Families
Our mission is to get to know and to become friends with the fieldworkers we serve. We deal directly with the families and check in with them regularly. Each family is different and each family has its own needs. Whether it's food, clothing, medical supplies, household supplies, transportation, diapers, education, toys or games, we try our best to help and support our clients during this crisis.
Thank You
Whether you help through cash donations, in-kind donations, vounteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you! We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.
Recent Activities
Since the quarantine in March we have:
1) Helped children cope while locked indoors as their parents work.
* provided art and school materials
* connected some with art teachers on-line (in Mexico)
* connected some with phone buddies to read with them and chat
* sent them butterfly and ladybug habitats, and caterpillars and larvae to observe
* provided two tablets and two laptops
* chatted on SnapChat
* sent birthday cards, gifts and even had a birthday party
* delivered books on the children’s interests
* provided basketball hoop with backboard, weights, trampoline, jump ropes
* distributed hundreds of pounds of Legos
2) Helped parents cope, working in the fields, terrified that COVID or ICE will take them:
* built 4’ X 8’ garden boxes in their yards, provided soil, amendment and plants
* gave special recognition (cards, money and floral arrangements)
* expanded monthly diaper delivery to 30 families with special needs children
* made and delivered approximately 4,000 masks to them and their employers
* delivered about 90 food and essentials boxes/week to them
* delivered Lawn Leaf Bags full of clothes, shoes, toys, linens, household supplies
* paid for rent, utilities, gas, and other necessities in a few cases
ALL THESE THINGS WE DID WITH THE SUPPORT OF INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS.
Grocery Security Net (GSN) began last week. We ask each family what 15-19 items they use every day. Things they depend on for survival. (Typically, they have about 3-5 days’ supply now.) Food, bathroom and laundry supplies and gas for their cars. Based on what they consume now, we calculate the cost of a three-month supply. About $333/month or $999/3 months. Two thirds of that is gas. So far, we have done this with three families. We plan at least 27 more.
