They harvest the fruit, pick the vegetables, and handle the countless dirty, repetitive, and wearying tasks necessary each day to feed the community, the state, and the world.
They are farm workers, and they represent a major pillar of the U.S. economy.
The Santa Barbara County Education Office’s Migrant Education Program is sponsoring a free event—the Day of the Farm Worker—on Dec. 7. The celebration from 1 a.m. to 4 p.m. will fill the Santa Maria Fairpark with complimentary health screenings, clothing, and books; medical services, including flu shots, blood pressure checks, vision screenings, fluoride varnish for children younger than 6; healthy meal and physical activity demonstrations; children’s activities; live music and entertainment; and a community agency information fair that will include legal and educational services. Guests will also be able to buy food.
“We all benefit from the wonderful gifts agricultural workers provide to our own families: meats, vegetables, fruits, dairy, seeds, nuts, grains, eggs, and much more. It is fitting that we pay tribute to their hard work and accomplishments,” County Superintendent of Schools Bill Cirone, whose office coordinates the event, said in a press release. “Local businesses and organizations also benefit from the products and services consumed by agricultural workers and their families.”
According to that release, the national Migrant Education Program provides educational, health, and social support services to eligible children and young adults up to 21 years old. Region 18—out of 20 regions throughout California—serves Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, which are home to more than 2,300 migrant children and young adults. Santa Barbara County also includes Region 22 of the Santa Maria Bonita School District, which serves more than 3,400 students in eighth grade and below.
For more information, or to learn more about whether a child qualifies for services, call the regional office in Santa Maria at 922-0788 or ask a Migrant Education Services Specialist at the event.
This article appears in Dec 4-11, 2014.