Voice of the Fields - December 2012

FA R M L A B O R I N F O R M AT I O N B U L L E T I N

Voice of the Fields California

December 2012

FREE

Volume 22, Number 11

The Services Provided by La Cooperativa Campesina de California and its Members

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a Cooperativa Campesina de California is a job training, employment and service resource network made up of advocates and service providers focused on bettering the lives of farmworkers and their families. There are five (5) member organizations, with over 80 offices, who work with La Cooperativa.

They are located up and down the state of California, but they can especially be found in the rural areas where agricultural workers live and work. The member organizations are the Center for Employment Training (CET), the California Human Development (CHD), the Central Valley Opportunity Center (CVOC), Employers’ Training Resource (ETR) and Proteus Inc.

The services provided by La Cooperativa’s member agencies include: English as a Second Language (ESL) Training n Adult and family literacy training n Childcare n General Education Development (GED) training n Vocational education n Basic education n Transportation n Emergency services n Housing n Job placement n Counseling n

Some of the member organizations also provide: Immigration & Citizenship services Energy savings assistance n Disability Services n Treatment and Criminal Justice services n One-Stop Career Centers coordinated by the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration By reading on, you will find a brief overview of La Cooperativa’s member organizations, including where they are located and some of the services each of them provide to agricultural workers. n n

The California Human Development Corporation (Northern California) The CHD works with La Cooperativa to improve the lives of farmworkers and their families through education, vocational training, English literacy training, basic and life skills training, on-the-job training, emergency services and adult work experience. The completion of the training listed above will lead to a job placement, and will also lead farmworkers and their families to have more productive and prosperous lives. For eligible farmworkers, the CHD offers temporary housing assistance as farmworkers move from seasonal to year-round employment.

Assistance provided through this program includes hotel vouchers, rent, mortgage, utility bills, and other shelter needs.

The CHD recently began operating a mobile classroom called Jobs on Wheels that serves rural farmworkers in Northern California. This mobile classroom offers ESL instruction, pesticide safety training and job training for upgraded agricultural careers. The Jobs on Wheels program works with agricultural employers to bring on-site programs to the farmworkers.

Also offered to farmworkers, is vocational training through Anthony Soto Employment Training Centers (located in Santa Rosa, Stockton, and Marysville). These vocational skills include truck driving, welding, fork-lift operating, shipping and receiving as well as other skills.

If you would like more information about vocational training, or information about education, housing services and more, and you are located in Northern California, contact the CHD at (707) 523-1155, or visit their website at http://californiahumandevelopment.org/ to find the nearest CHD office that can assist you.

Central Valley Opportunity Center (Central California Valley) The CVOC operates many employment, economic development and social service programs in central California. The service area for the CVOC covers the counties of Stanislaus, Merced and Madera. The CVOC Migrant Seasonal Farmworker services include vocational education, remedial education, English language education, housing assistance, Continued on next page

Services Provided by La Cooperativa Campesina de California Continued from previous page

emergency supportive services, transportation, emergency food assistance, health care, child care, energy assistance programs and more.

The CVOC has three offices within the Central Valley to assist you. They are: Stanislaus satellite Training Center Frank M. Torrez Center 1581 Cummins Dr., Suite 100 Modesto, CA 95358 209.577.3210 Merced Training Center 6838 Bridget Court P.O. Box 1389 Winton, CA 95388 209.357.0062 Madera satellite Training Center 455 S. Pine, Suite 101 Madera, CA 93637 559.662.0100 The website for the CVOC is http://www. cvoc.org/home.html. There, you can find more information about the services and programs they provide.

The Center for Employment Training The CET has 17 centers located in five states. In California the centers are located in Coachella, El Centro, Gilroy, Oxnard, Sacramento, Salinas, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Jose, Santa Maria, Soledad, Temecula and Watsonville. The CET offers hands-on training to adults including job counselors and developers who can assist you with development of your resume as well as interview support. They offer referrals for child care while parents are working, supportive services for food and health care, legal services and classes including GED training. They also offer vocational education training with different classes offered at each location. Along with these services, the CET specializes in

Immigration and citizenship services. A few of these services are: n Legal n Family Visa petitions n Consular processing n Translations of Documents n Application assistance n Mock interviews n Citizenship classes

To locate the nearest Center for Employment Training to you, visit their website: http://cetweb.org/for-students/ locations/. You can also call 1-800-533-2519 to speak with a representative.

Employers’ Training Resource If you live in Kern County, there are many ETR locations near you. They are given funding support through the National Farmworkers Job Program to support farmworkers and their families. To help farmworkers, they offer English as a Second Language classes, GED classes, Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker and Job Search workshops. They also work closely with OneStop Career centers to provide counseling, vocational training for in-demand jobs, work experience, assistance with job search, access to services needed for job search, referrals to openings, and supportive services.

To locate the closest Employers’ Training Resource center to you, call toll-free (800) 203-2623, or visit http://www.etronline.com/ contact-locations.asp. There you will find a list of the centers with local addresses and phone numbers.

Proteus, Inc. Proteus is an education, employment and community service organization which provides services to the Central Valley (Tulare, Kern, Fresno and Kings) as well as Northern

Los Angeles. Along with the vocational training and other services listed above, Proteus works with the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs to host farmworker safety programs. For those people without a means of transportation, Proteus provides a Mobile Employment Center which could help provide you with: n Internet access n Skills assessment n Resume and interview help n Job search assistance.

Visit the Proteus website to find a service center near you at http://www.proteusinc.org.

You can also call 1-888-776-9998 to speak with a Proteus representative.

Voice of the Fields and La Cooperativa Monthly Radio Show La Cooperativa and its members are committed to helping agricultural workers become better educated, self-sufficient residents of California. La Cooperativa and its member organizations receive support from California’s Employment Development Department (EDD). They also work with the EDD to stay updated on employment news and information. La Cooperativa develops, with support from the EDD, this Voice of the Fields Newsletter. Each month, this newsletter is distributed across the state to keep you informed about issues that could affect many parts of your life. In addition to the newsletter, La Cooperativa hosts a monthly radio show that expands on the newsletter topics. To find information about the radio show, or to learn more about La Cooperativa, visit their website at http://www.lacooperativa.org/. There, you will also find links and information about the members and services mentioned above. You can also call (916) 388-2220.

Food Banks: Where to locate them in your community

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growing number of people in our country are struggling to make ends meet, because of this, families are increasingly turning to their local food banks, charities and congregations for help.

In an effort to combat hunger in California communities, food banks are available to families to provide them with nutritional items.

California food banks store food and transport it to many not-for-profit organizations throughout the state including churches, schools and soup kitchens. Families can visit these different organizations and receive quality ingredients to help keep their loved ones healthy and fed.

Every county houses a different food bank and the community organizations distributing food vary as well. To get more information about these organizations, we urge you to contact your local food bank. If you have children you can check with their school to find the nearest food bank. Churches are also a great place to go for information.

Alameda County Phone: (510) 635-3663 CAA of Butte County Phone: (530) 538-7256 Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano Phone: (925) 676-7543 Del Norte County Phone: (707) 464-9190 El Dorado County Food Bank of El Dorado County Phone: (530) 621-9950 Fresno County Phone: (559) 237-3663 Glenn County Phone: (530) 538-7256 Humboldt County Phone: (707) 445-3166

A Holiday meal for you and your family:

the mentally ill and the homeless can qualify for food assistance.

If you have found yourself struggling to be able to provide your family with a holiday meal, many local charities and food banks offer families warm dinners on their premises. To find out more information, contact your local food bank about where a meal like this can be found.

What kind of food is given away?

How to qualify:

Where can I find my Local Food Bank?

Each food bank has their own rules and qualifications for providing food to families.

For some food banks, the only qualification for assistance is a need for food. Contact your local food bank to ask what qualifications they require.

Who gets food?

According to the California Association of Food Banks, anyone in need; low income families with children, the unemployed, disabled residents, seniors, low income individuals with a chronic illness, teens at risk,

Kern County Phone: (661) 398-4520 Kings County Phone: (559) 582-4386 Los Angeles County Phone: (323) 234-3030 Phone: (310) 828-6016 Marin County Phone: (415) 282-1900 Mariposa County Phone: (209) 726-3663 Mendocino County Phone: (707) 463-2409 Merced County Phone: (209) 726-3663 Monterey County Phone: (831) 758-1523

Napa County Phone: (707) 253-6128 Nevada County Phone: (530) 272-3796 Orange County Phone: (714) 897-6670 Phone: (949) 653-2900 Placer County Phone: (916) 783-0481 Plumas County Phone: (530) 538-7256 Riverside County Phone: (760) 775-3663 Sacramento County Phone: (916) 387-9000 San Benito County Phone: (831) 637-0340

Much of what is distributed is fresh produce, dairy products, and frozen meats.

Food banks also have canned fruits and vegetables, pasta, fruit juices, cereal, soup and many other types of nonperishable foods.

Please visit the California Association of Food Banks’ website at www.cafoodbanks. org. Once there, click on the link “Find a food bank” in the upper right-hand corner. There, you will find a map of California. Click on your county, and the website for your county’s food bank will open. You can also call the California Association of Food Banks at (510) 350-9920.

To assist you in finding your nearest food bank, we have provided a list of counties with the phone number to their food bank.

San Diego County Phone: (858) 452-3663 Phone: (858) 527-1419 San Francisco County Phone: (415) 282-1900 San Joaquin County Phone: (209) 464-7369 San Luis Obispo County Phone: (805) 238-4664 Santa Clara County Phone: (408) 266-8866 Santa Cruz County Phone: (831) 722-7110 San Mateo County Phone: (650) 610-0800 Santa Barbara County Phone: (805) 967-5741 Shasta County Phone: (530) 226-3073

Sierra County Phone: (530) 538-7256 Solano County Phone: (925) 676-7543 Tehama County Phone: (530) 538-7256 Tulare County Phone: (559) 651-3663 Tuolumne County Amador-Tuolumne Community Phone: (209) 984-3960 Ventura County Food Share of Ventura County Phone: (805) 983-7100 Yolo County Phone: (530) 668-0690

Toys for Tots/Kids!

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or many, the holidays are a time when families come together and exchange gifts.

However, if you have fallen upon hard economic times, you may not be able to spare money for a toy or two. That’s where Toys for Tots can help. Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them holiday gifts. The mission of the program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as holiday gifts to needy children. Parents and friends can nominate themselves or a family they think needs help, and Toys for Tots may be able to provide toys for that family.

What are the criteria to qualify for Toys for Tots?

There are no specific qualifications to nominate yourself or a family for Toys for Tots.

However, there is no guarantee that every family signed up will receive gifts. Which families are selected to receive toys depends on each

individual local center that runs the program, how many toys that center has and the number of families nominated to receive toys. You can sign your family up to be considered by Toys for Tots by following these simple steps: 1 Go to the Toys for Tots website (www. toysfortots.org).

2 Click on the ‘Request Toys’ link at the top of the page (http://www.toysfortots.org/ request_toys/default.aspx).

3 From here you will be directed to a drop down menu. Select your state and county.

4 Once you have selected a state and county, you will be presented with a name of the person in charge of the local campaign center, along with a link. Click on this link and provide the requested information. This will generally include:

n A brief explanation about why your family

needs to receive a Toys for Tots present.

When is the deadline to apply for Toys for Tots?

Each county’s program has its own deadlines to apply. If you missed the deadline this year, keep it in mind for 2013.

Voice of the Fields California Circulation: 40,000 copies

www.LaCooperativa.org Published monthly by: La Cooperativa Campesina de California 1107 9th Street, Suite 420, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone 916.388.2220 Fax 916.388.2425

Produced with the support of the Employment Development Department

n Your name n Proof of residency

Voice of the Fields may be reproduced

Agricultural Jobs available to U.S. workers under H-2A contract You may apply for these jobs by phone or in person at your nearest Employment Development Department (EDD) field office Job Order Number

Job Title

Salary

Contract Period

Number of Positions

City

County

EDD Workforce Services Site Office

1

CA13577249

Beekeeper

$11.00

1/15/13 - 11/1/13

3

Fresno

Fresno

Bakersfield WS (661)635-2600

2

CA13559884

Beekeepers

$11.00

1/7/13 - 11/7/13

5

Waterford

Stanislaus

Turlcok WS (209)664-8306

3

CA13564807

Beekeeper

$11.00

1/5/13 - 5/5/13

6

Shafter

Kern

Bakersfield WS (661)635-2600

4

CA13528786

Beekeepers

$11.00

1/1/13 - 10/31/13

6

Lake Isabella

Kern

Bakersfield WS (661)635-2600

5

CA13551299

Vineyard Workers/ Grapes

$10.24

1/12/13 - 10/31/13

20

Napa

Napa

Napa WS (707)253-4134

6

CA13647539

Agricultural Equipment Operator

$10.24

2/24/13 - 11/30/13

1

Linden

San Joaquin

Stockton WS(209)948-7856

7

CA10339218

Agricultural Worker,Sheepherder

$1,422.52

Continous

143

California & Western States

California and other Western States

Contact any EDD WS office

The H-2A temporary agricultural program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. The H-2A employers must demonstrate that qualified U.S. workers are not available for the job and the employment of temporary foreign workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers similarly employed. Preference in hiring will be given to qualified U.S. workers before employers are allowed to bring in foreign workers under the program.