Migrant Farm Workers & Seasonal Agriculture Workers

National Farmworker Awareness Week is the last week in March - It's an opportunity for farm worker supporters across the country to honor farm workers' important contributions and raise awareness about the issues they face. Farmworkers are essential to getting fresh and healthy food on supermarket shelves. We don’t see them, but they grow, harvest, process and pack our fresh food.

PEVA Collected 150 Long Sleeve Shirts during the week of  National Farm Workers Awareness Week  in 2024.

PEVA will be collecting long sleeve shirts in 2025!  National Farmworker Awareness Week in 2025 will be from March 25–31.

Collect the long sleeve cotton T-shirts and drop them off at the Presbyer office by  April 4th. 

A gently used cotton long-sleeve shirt can help prevent exposure to pesticides by covering the skin which is the most common route of pesticide poisoning due to its exposure. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indicates that over 20,000 cases of doctor-diagnosed pesticide poisoning are reported yearly.   These shirts will be used locally for workers mainly on the Eastern Shore, VA as they attend the safety training, right before the produce season starts. which includes pesticide and handler safety training by Telamon. This safety training in Virginia is paid for by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) & the Association of Farm Opportunity Programs (AFOP). 

Distributing donated goods brings joy to the faces of families by Darla Carter | Presbyterian News Service

The history of Presbyterians advocating on behalf of immigrants dates back to 1893. Connecting with those in your community and your faith communities is vital.

In Deuteronomy, God commands us to love the foreigner—not with a fleeting, “we will let you in” kind of welcome, but with a deep, abiding love. We are called to love strangers because we once were strangers.

Learn More & Resources  

Presbyterian Church USA Immigration, Asylum, Refugee and Immigrant Defense Resources

Immigration Advocates Nonprofit Search Engine American Immigration Lawyers 

American Immigration Lawyers Assocation Search Engine 

ACLU Immigrants' Rights Regardless of immigration status, guaranteed rights under the Constitution. Learn more about rights as an immigrant, and how to express them: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights

Dreamer (DACA)

100-Mile Border Zone

Enforcement at the Airport

The truck  was packed the night of July 31st, full of 180 Food Kits ,146 Hygiene Kits, 79 Bottles of Laundry Soap, 40 Pack of Baby Wipes, 1,688 Diapers, 616 Bags/Boxes of Clothing, Shoes, Hats, Toiletries, Toys, and Children's Books, 15 School Backpacks filled with school supplies,  76 Food Lion/ 12 Visa Gift Cards ranging from $15 - $20  and the trip to deliver the items took place on Aug. 1st.   

"We Are the Church Together".

Several  from St Andrew PC had the  opportunity to engage with the families  and staff at the Migrant Head Start Center  in Cheriton, VA  and PEVA's Hunger Action Advocate had  the opportunity to engage with the families and staff at the Parksley Center and spoke  at the parent meeting that evening.  

Special thanks to the 15 PEVA Churches, 2 organizations, 1 local small business and 6 individuals for their donations:

Carver Memorial, Christ, First Portsmouth, Grace Covenant of Princess Anne,  Hidenwood, Hilton, King's Grant, Lynnhaven, New  Horizons, Providence, Royster, Simonsdale, St. Andrew, and Wycliffe Presbyterian Churches,  Bayside and Providence Presbyterian Women groups, and Jebs Welding and Fabrication.

Special thanks to the following Individuals that assisted in the heavy lifting of the packing and unpacking and driving the truck.

Tom Bryan (St. Andrew), Danny Lovell (St. Andrew),Terry Phelps (St. Andrew), David McKercher (St. Andrew), Clyde Harper (St. Andrew), Jessica Fitzgerald (PEVA Staff), Raymond Rodrigues (PEVA Staff), Ray Fitzgerald (Third),Tarane Montes (New Horizons), Naomi Peterson (New Horizons), Addie Peterson (New Horizons), and Shyheim Jones (New Horizons) and  all the  wonderful staff at the Head Start Centers.

Migrant Farm Workers & Seasonal Agriculture Workers Power Point   6 2024 Download Here

On the evening of July 26th approximately 30 volunteers from First Portsmouth, Green Acres, Simonsdale, St. Andrew, and Third Presbyterian churches along with PEVA staff participated in loading the truck with the donations for the Migrant Farm Workers & Seasonal Agriculture Workers Ministry on the Eastern Shore.

On July 27th the truck full  of needed items such as 212 Food Kits, 1,609 diapers, 100 Hygiene Kits, 90 small boxes of nonperishable groceries, 13 school bags full of basic school supplies, 610 children’s books,  children clothing, men & women clothing, sunblock. laundry detergent, hats and various other items were delivered to the East Coast Migrant Head Start Centers on the Eastern Shore of  VA. The truck was unloaded and sorted by Jessica Fitzgerald (Third), Danny Lovell & Terry Phelps (St. Andrew), and Gerry Ellis (Denbigh United) and Head Start Center staff. PEVA's Hunger Action Advocate had the opportunity  that afternoon to engage with families at the  center in Parksley, VA and assist with handing out needed items. Gerry Ellis had an opportunity to visit with the Director of the Cheriton center, tour and learn about how the center serves the children and families at the Cheriton center. 

A 20 ft  truck was loaded with food kits, diapers, clothing, and children's books on July 26th for the Eastern Shore Migrant Farmworkers Ministry. The first stop was at the PEVA office where donations that were dropped off by various PEVA churches  were loaded by Jessica & Ray Fitzgerald, their daughter Samantha, and several members of First Portsmouth's Presbyterian Churchchoir (Rev. Skip Baker-Smith, Kim McCormick, Gail Pittman, Raymond Rodrigues, and Oralie Wilhite. The second stop was at Wycliffe Presbyterian Church on July 27th where the truck was loaded by Rev. Dr. Garrett Bugg, Kelley & David Gangwer, Ginny & Scott Lambright, Rev. Dr. Bobbie McGarey, Maggie Metzgar  (6 age), Ron Moore, Bob Prestridge,  Gail & Joe Schwartzer, and Niam Schwartzer (7 age). All donations were delivered to 2 Migrant Head Start Centers on the Eastern shore for distribution. Members of Powelton Presbyterian Church the Rev. James W. Moore & Katherine Moore, JoAnn Eshleman, Jane Weidman, and Vernon & Cathey Bell assisted in handing out items at the Parksley center (including their donations) and greeted some of the farmworker families. Thank you to all of the PEVA churches and individuals that contributed  in the  2022 season.

8/5/20 PEVA Newsletter (July 2020 Good News on Migrant Farm Workers & Seasonal Agriculture Workers)

Farm Workers - 2021 Overview

Click here to view the 2019 Season Overview 

PEVA's 2018 Face Book Photo Album

Download 2018 Season Overview 

PEVA's 2018 Face Book Photo Album

PEVA's Hunger Action Advocate Jessica Fitzgerald, David McKercher of Saint Andrews PC, Samantha Suski of Third PC, and two faithful friends Suzan Razo and Enrique Malto packed two trucks on Thursday July 27th Jessica and David delivered the needed items to the East Coast Migrant Head Start Centers in Chertion and Parksley, VA.  Jessica & Susan handed out food kits and other needed items and said a few words at the parent meeting that evening at the Parsley center.  Susan was a great help with translation.  A special “thank you” to all that have donated to this ministry. Together we have touched the lives of 56 families.  That's 23 families at the Parksley Center and 33 families at the Chertion Center.  Please keep in mind for every family that is documented there is at least one undocumented family that is also helped if supplies are available.

PEVA's Hunger Action Advocate Jessica Fitzgerald, David McKercher of Saint Andrews PC and Samantha Suski of Third PC packed up two pick up trucks FRI. AUG 19th. and delivered needed items to the East Coast Migrant Head Start Center in Parksley, VA. Jessica handed out food kits and other needed items and said a few words at the parent meeting that evening.  A special  thank you to all that have donated to this ministry. Together we have touched the lives of 79 families.  That's 50 families at the Parskley Center and 29 families at the Chertion Center.

Check out these links and  resources to learn more.  

Recording of VICPP Farmworker workshop at Day for All People in January 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RX1B3OCLds 

Prayer service for Farmworkers 

More VICPP farmworker information at  https://www.virginiainterfaithcenter.org/economic-justice/farmworker-justice/

Contact Sheila Herlihy Hennessee, Faith Organizer sheila@virginiainteraithcenter.org 

Information from National Farm Worker Ministry: https://nfwm.org/farm-workers/farm-worker-issues/

Click Here to explore and  learn more  what the  Legal Aid Justice Center  is doing for farm workers.    Thier  campaigns range from direct representation and impact litigation on wage and contract claims to H-2A and H-2B visa reform, combatting labor trafficking, advocating for enhanced enforcement and new laws to address health and safety concerns, legislative and administrative policy advocacy for better pay and conditions, and worker coalition-building in rural areas.

Every year, a  Worker Justice team sets up  a temporary home base for the summer on the Eastern Shore, joining thier community organizer who is based there year-round. Throughout the whole summer, the team visitd the worker camps throughout the region, speaking with workers about their experiences, sharing information about workers’ rights, providing legal assistance, and supporting workers organizing for better conditions.

Farm work is hard work. Farm workers perform repetitive picking motions, bend over for hours at a time, lift heavy buckets of produce, and operate machinery like tractors, pesticide applicators, and fruit pickers that can lead to mishaps and injuries on the job. 

Overview of issues affecting farm workers in English.

 Download Resource 

(this resource will be updated soon)

A Migrant Farm Workers Activity to Use in your Church, Sunday School or small group.

Click Here 

Justice & Hospitality towards Immigrants  

Exodus 12:49: Same law 

Exodus 23:9 Don’t oppress strangers 

Exodus 23:12: Rest for alien 

Numbers 9:14: Same law

Number 15:29: Same law 

Deut. 23:7: Don’t abhor Egyptians 

Deuteronomy 24:14-15: Pay wages 

Deut. 27:19 Don’t oppress sojourner

 Psalm 146:9: Sojourner watched over 

Jeremiah 7:5-7: Don’t oppress alien 

Duet 10: 17-19: Execute justice 

Deut 17: 19: Don’t pervert justice 

Exodus 22:21: Don’t wrong stranger 

Leviticus 24:22: One law 

Lev 19:33-34: Love stranger as self 

Eph 2: 14-19: Break wall of hostility 

Zechariah 7:9-10: Don’t oppress alien 

Peter (I) 4: 8-9: Practice hospitality 

Hebrews 13:1-2: Entertaining Angels

Farm Workers

James 5:1-5: Laborers cry out 

Timothy (II) 2:6: First share of crops 

Corinthians (II) 9:10, 12: God supplies seed; thanks

Labor 

Isaiah 65:22-23: Not labor in vain 

Mark 10:42-45: First is last 

Genesis 2:1-2: God rested 

Deuteronomy 24:14-15: Pay wages 

Isaiah 5:1-7: Vineyard parable 

Jeremiah 34: 8-14: Set slaves free  

Strength & Survival 

Corinthians (II) 4: 7-10: Afflicted not crushed