Surprisingly, one of the biggest problems farmworker families face is food scarcity. Farm working communities are the most food-insecure in the nation due to low pay, frequent moves, lack of transportation, dependence on climate, lack of advocacy and not meeting the qualifications for federal food subsidies. NC FIELD addresses this issue through food drives and distribution, in addition to awareness campaigns throughout Eastern NC and the Triangle.
In November 2013 we established the NC FIELD Farmworker Emergency Fund for farmworkers in crisis. When farmworkers need a motel room to stay in temporarily because their labor camp is unsafe, or when they can’t afford basic necessities or utilities because they haven’t been paid for their work, or when they have medical bills for on the job injuries they can’t get worker’s comp to cover, your donation to the emergency fund will help them get through difficult times when, often, no other options remain.
The Fund is overseen by a committee that discusses each case on an individual basis, searches for alternate resources when possible and makes the effort to assure the recipient has appropriate support to find a sustainable path from their crisis. This fund is designed help farmworkers manage immediate emergencies. This fund does not supplant available entities such as the free clinic or food book; rather, it provides basic stability in order for farmworkers to have the time and funds to take advantage of the existing resource network.