RENTAL AND BILL ASSIST

The Times released an article stating that "Farmworkers in the state of California earn about $30,000 a year if they work full time—about half the overall average pay in California. Most work fewer hours.” The second sentence here is key: most farmworkers are not employed 40 hours a week 52 weeks a year, so most earn far less than $30,000 per year. Low earnings prevents campesinos from meeting their basic needs, such as food and housing. This situation was made worse during and following the peak of the pandemic as many were unable to work because of COVID and were left without a financial safety net.

Additionally, according to the Center for Farmworker Families, of the 500,000-800,000 farmworkers working in California, an estimated 75% are undocumented. These statistics are vital in contextualizing the experience of farmworkers who without legal immigration status cannot receive public benefits such as SNAP (CalFresh in California), unemployment, TANF, and most public health insurance programs. Even for those who are eligible, linguistic and cultural barriers, compounded by unfamiliarity and mistrust in public programs, further isolate campesinx families and leave them without any safety net.

Photo: Delivering despensa & a bill assistance check.

In the second half of 2022, Hijas del Campo provided rental and bill assistance to campesinxs in Contra Costa County and San Joaquin County in the sum of $14,338.18 thanks to the generous support of individual donors like you.

In 2023 campensinxs are being affected by the heavy rain in California unable to work due to fields been flooded leaving them more susceptible to financial hardship. These is why we need your help. To help those that feed us be able to pay their bills and keep their homes.

To date in March of 2024, we have gotten more requests for support with rent to avoid displacement and homelessness than ever before. Much of the need for assistance comes from the compounded effects of extreme weather conditions that have impacted farm working conditions, inflation, the residual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid rising costs of rents throughout the state of California.

Currently in Contra Costa County:

• you are considered low-income if you make $78,550 a year,
• current rent averages at about $2,729,
• for renters looking for new homes they are asked for first months last months rent & credit checks.

Some CampesinXs get paid about .50cents to prune one row of grape vines.

Those with work authorization should be making minimum wage.

Most who make the minimum wage are not getting any where near the 40 hours a week of work meaning, the inability to pay for rent on time or in full.

This is why we are reaching out to you all, our community, for support by donating to this ongoing campaign to ensure that our CampesinXs & their families are not left out in the cold and potentially unhoused.

Photo: Farmworker housing in unincorporated Brentwood/Contra Costa County during the 2022/2023 winter storms.