California's undocumented food workers face grim dilemma: health or wages - NBC News
California's undocumented food workers face grim dilemma: health or wages - NBC News |
- California's undocumented food workers face grim dilemma: health or wages - NBC News
- New Food Bank of Wilmington facility planned for site of former Village Plaza Shopping Center - WECT
- Toxic chemicals may be in fast food wrappers and take-out containers, report says - CNN
- Video: Large turnout for Augusta food giveaway highlights need in central Maine - Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel
- Houston-area families can get free food at these distribution events every Saturday through mid-Sept. - KPRC Click2Houston
| California's undocumented food workers face grim dilemma: health or wages - NBC News Posted: 06 Aug 2020 12:45 PM PDT This is the first article in a new collaboration: "NBC News x Noticias Telemundo Reports," which will feature reports by correspondents from both news organizations — in English, on NBC News platforms, and in Spanish for Telemundo readers. McFARLAND, Calif. — Xiomara Valderrama usually spends her days picking grapes in California's Central Valley, where one-quarter of the U.S. food supply is produced. But she has been unable to work since she learned that her 5-year-old son may have been exposed to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, at his day care center. Valderrama will need to wait up to two weeks for the boy's test results — which means two weeks without income to cover the rent and pay for other basic necessities. "It's going to be a stress to get that money," Valderrama said. For more on this story watch NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT. The chief executive of California Grapery is trying to make sure workers get paid for missed hours. But for thousands of vulnerable, predominantly Latino undocumented workers across this sprawling agricultural region, there is immense fear and reluctance to self-report possible COVID-19 infection — even with some doctors promising confidentiality. The United Farm Workers union estimates up to 70 percent of farmworkers in this region are in the U.S. illegally, which means they do not have access to federal or state unemployment benefits, and they cannot risk losing their livelihoods. The pressure to work is forcing some laborers to potentially ignore their exposure to COVID-19. "People are scared to go to the doctor. They're scared to go to the clinic. They're not going to their monthly doctor visits because they fear that the outcome is going to be COVID-19," said Hernan Hernandez, the executive director of the California Farmworker Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides services and resources to farmworkers. The infection rate among Latinos has outpaced the rest of the U.S., and the community has also been disproportionately hurt by the economic downturn associated with the pandemic, the Pew Research Center reported Tuesday. Salvador, a father of four who works in the fields, believes he might have been exposed to the coronavirus three weeks ago, around the time somebody who later tested positive visited his home. Salvador decided not to get tested because he was scared a positive result would mean being sidelined from work, unable to make money for his family. The roughly $500 Salvador and his wife bring home every week barely covers their bills, so he kept working. He said he did not inform his boss of his possible infection because he was not showing symptoms. Instead, he and other workers who thought they might be infected quietly warned one another to keep their distance. Ernestina, who works alongside hundreds of others at a pistachio packing plant, said she became infected with the coronavirus and stayed at home for a month, missing out on two weeks of pay. But before getting sick, she said, she witnessed other workers hiding symptoms, holding in coughing fits for as long as they could. Dr. Harjeet Brar, the president of the Good Samaritan Hospital in Bakersfield, told NBC News that his medical staff are not asking patients about their immigration status. "That is not the intent at all. We're here to help," Dr. Brar said, adding: "We just want you guys to get tested so we can protect your family." (Good Samaritan, through a partnership involving the California Farmworker Foundation and Kern County, has worked to provide a mobile testing unit to farm communities in the state.) California Gov. Gavin Newsom has pledged $52 million to the Central Valley to help with coronavirus testing and contact tracing, with the broad goal of slowing the spread of the virus in the region. In mid-April, Newsom said the state would partner with philanthropic groups to provide disaster relief to undocumented immigrants grappling with the coronavirus who are not eligible for other pandemic assistance programs. "We feel a deep sense of gratitude for people who are in fear of deportation but are still addressing the essential needs of tens of millions of Californians," Newsom said at the time, adding that many undocumented immigrants work in essential sectors such as health care, agriculture and food services. Newsom has signed an order providing two weeks of supplemental paid sick leave for essential workers, including farmworkers. The state has also partnered with county agriculture commissioners to help distribute 12.6 million surgical masks to agricultural workers, in addition to other personal protective equipment.   |
| New Food Bank of Wilmington facility planned for site of former Village Plaza Shopping Center - WECT Posted: 06 Aug 2020 09:18 AM PDT  In a news release announcing the purchase and redevelopment of the property, the organization stated it will build a new facility on the five-acre tract located at 1000 Greenfield Street that will "ensure a significant increase in nutrition services, food storage, and distribution throughout the southeastern North Carolina" and will be "the first step toward developing the Food Bank of Wilmington's capacities to address urgent food insecurity in Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, and Pender counties."  |
| Toxic chemicals may be in fast food wrappers and take-out containers, report says - CNN Posted: 06 Aug 2020 03:57 AM PDT [unable to retrieve full-text content]Toxic chemicals may be in fast food wrappers and take-out containers, report says CNN  |
| Posted: 06 Aug 2020 10:30 AM PDT AUGUSTA — Mike Dietrich was one of the hundreds of people who received an 18-pound box of local food from the Farmers to Families event Thursday at the Augusta Civic Center. Dietrich, 49, said he has been living at the Best Western adjacent to the Augusta Civic Center while collecting general assistance and navigating government programs to collect food stamps and get into an apartment. "I tried to kill myself on June 30," Dietrich said. "When I came out (of the hospital), I didn't have any place to go or any money at all. "I'm getting food from general assistance, so I don't really have any other food," he added. "It will be very helpful."  A man examines the contents of a food box he received Thursday at the Augusta Civic Center. Several hundred people received a box containing meal supplies that were distributed by the Augusta Food Bank. Andy Molloy/Kennebec Journal In total, 1,200 boxes of food, containing potato and dairy products from Pineland Farms, were distributed at Thursday's event that was sponsored by the Augusta Food Bank. Cars snaked down Community Drive and wrapped around a large parking lot, while masked volunteers dropped boxes into vehicles of attendees. Augusta Food Bank Executive Director Bob Moore said earlier this week he anticipated a huge crowd but was shocked when 150 cars showed up an hour before the event started. "It does definitely send a message that there still is a tremendous need out there," he said. "My guess is, with some of the federal programs stopping, there is going to be more of a need." Moore said he is not worried about an increase in people needing assistance, because the food bank's partners have been "wonderful" with which to work. Erin Turner, 39, of Windsor, said she has been out of work since June and struggling to find a seasonal job to support her family of five. She said she hasn't taken advantage of other assistance programs or food bank resources because she doesn't know the details of them. "This was more widely advertised," Turner said. "I don't really know where to go all the time, so I think at least having it was well-advertised as this was would be helpful for people." When asked if there were other programs coming in the future, he said the food bank has been giving away excess food on Thursdays and a similar event to the Farmers to Families event could come "perhaps in the fall." Moore said an event in partnership Good Shepherd Food Bank, dubbed "Food Mobile," was canceled back in May due to the coronavirus pandemic, but may return in the future.  People distribute boxes of food Thursday in the Augusta Civic Center parking lot. Boxes included cheddar cheese, milk, and a bag each of whole and mashed potatoes. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal Buy this Photo Farmers to Families is a program administrated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to the department's website, more than 50 million boxes have been distributed as part of the project and two rounds of funding have raised as much as $2.67 billion for the program. There will be another Farmers to Families event in Waterville at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 11. The event is sponsored by the Elks Lodge and will take place near their lodge at 76 Industrial St. filed under: Related Stories  Latest Articles  |
| Posted: 06 Aug 2020 02:22 PM PDT :strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/4KEDYQ2VBRFZDJKD7GWB7PQ4HM.jpg) LA PORTE, Texas – Wells Fargo is partnering with the Houston Food Bank to distribute meals to those who need them. The distribution will start Saturday at the Wells Fargo La Porte Branch on 1001 Highway 146 South. People can drive up to the branch between 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. to get food. The distribution will be held every Saturday through Sept. 16. The specific dates are as follows:
"No one should have to choose between feeding their family or other basic necessities," said Region Bank President Darryl Montgomery. "Wells Fargo has a long-standing commitment to help our local communities—especially during challenging times. We are glad to bring nourishment for many families and hope this modest gesture lifts spirits and reminds people that they are not alone."  |
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