Community. Donations needed to gift farmworkers with safety backpacks

With spring comes the busy farm season. Farmworkers are already out in the fields, planting crops and getting the ground ready for this season.

Extended workdays for farmworkers includes walking and biking along Pulaski Highway and some of the back roads. The safety issues are clear when lighting from the roads are limited and the times that farmworkers may be on the road are usually dark.

To help support community safety, Warwick Area Farmworkers Organization (WAFO) will be running a Safety Backpack campaign for the third year.

The Safety Back packs are made of a reflective orange material which is durable in the field and is visible. They contain other items needed for safety such as a reusable water bottle, mask, eye goggles, hand sanitizer, work gloves and more. The design and contents of this backpack were identified by an advisory group of farmworkers, farmers and local health team members.

Important health information is also included in the back packs. The education includes information on heat safety, tick and mosquitos as well as agricultural work protection. WAFO has a team of trained Community Health Workers who provide instruction to the farmworkers as the bags are distributed. Many of these Community Health Workers have been providing training and outreach to the farmworker community for over two years.

The anticipated need for these safety back packs is close to 300, however the donations to purchase the bags will determine how many WAFO is able to distribute.

The cost of each bag and its contents is $20, which can be made as a donation to the WAFO via www.wafarmworkers.org or by check (made out to WAFO, P.O. Box 607 Goshen, New York 10924). WAFO is a 501c3-Public Charity which allows for all donations to be tax deductible.

For more information, please email Kathy Brieger at kbrieger@sunriver.org.

For more information about other programs of WAFO or to become involved with the Warwick Area Farmworkers Organization, please visit the website or visit the groups Instagram and Facebook pages.