Freeze fund continues to help region's farmworkers

The California Endowment announced its partnership with the Ventura County Community Foundation to expedite assistance to the region's farmworkers hit by this winter's crop freeze.

The private statewide health foundation has committed $1 million in funding for five California counties impacted by the freeze. Approximately $263,000 of the endowment's funding will benefit Ventura County and will provide food, rent and mortgage assistance as well as money for utilities and other support to be distributed to agricultural workers as needed.

The foundation has established a Community Disaster/ Freeze Fund through which the endowment's funding will be directed to a number of organizations with close ties to the impacted communities. The community organizations will deliver the financial assistance directly to the farmworkers. In addition, the foundation is working with the United Way of Ventura County to provide emergency assistance to the region's farmworkers.

To date, funding commitments have also been made by the Rosenberg Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation and the California Community Foundation as well as some in the corporate sector.

Initial reports find that local organizations are struggling to provide relief to the farmworkers during this period because the provision of such aid is labor intensive and requires more staff than currently exists.

An outreach effort will be made to the region's farmworkers who have difficulty accessing assistance due to language barriers.

The California Endowment was established in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality healthcare for underserved individuals and communities and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians.

For more information, visit www.calendow.org.