Feeding the Families Who Feed America

Local Organizations Distribute Food at Farmworker Communities

WATSONVILLE — If you have driven through Watsonville during the growing season, you’ve probably seen the large teams of farmworkers who cultivate and harvest the Central Coast’s famous strawberries, apples, artichokes, and other fruits and vegetables. But this time of year, after the harvest, the fields are nearly empty; there’s little work available for those who pick a huge portion of the nation’s produce.

Paradoxically, the same people who work some of the country’s most productive land are vulnerable to hunger at a time when the rest of the community is feasting to celebrate the holidays. The Christmas Project seeks to alleviate some of this disparity and involves Cal Fire, the Salvation Army, Raley’s Food For Families, and Second Harvest Food Bank.

An annual holiday effort begun by Gladys Anderson in 1978, The Christmas Project will distribute food at several farmworker communities in southern Santa Cruz County on Monday, December 19. About 200 farmworker families will receive a food box containing chicken, cereals, tuna, cooking oil, canned goods, and other staples, as well as a 20 to 30 lb. bag of fresh produce to help get them through the difficult season.

The Christmas Project
Monday, December 19, 2016

9:30 a.m. – San Andreas, 295 San Andreas, Watsonville
10:30 a.m. – Parkhurst Terrace, 6100 Freedom Blvd., Aptos
11:30 a.m. – Villas del Paraiso, 320 Amesti Rd., Watsonville
12:30 p.m. – Paulsen, 143 Paulsen Rd., Watsonville
1:30 p.m. – Lakeview, 2 Lakeview Rd., Watsonville
2:30 p.m. – Murphy’s Camp, 76 Murphy Crossing Rd., Watsonville
3:00 p.m. – Carlton Camp, 885 Carlton Rd., Watsonville

To make the holidays complete, Gladys and community donors will return the week of Christmas to deliver wrapped toys to the children who made requests.

Donors and volunteers can provide a gift for a child or volunteer to wrap gifts at http://www.thechristmasprojectsc.com/.

For more information, please call Grace Galvan at (831) 722-7110 ext. 208 or e-mail grace@thefoodbank.org, or visit www.thefoodbank.org.

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The Christmas Project, founded in 1978 in response to the needs of many children in Santa Cruz County, including children served by Child Protective Services, provides toys, gifts, and food to needy children and parents mainly in the Migrant Labor Camps of Santa Cruz County. www.thechristmasprojectsc.com

Founded in 1972, Second Harvest Food Bank was the first food bank in California and the second in the nation. Its mission is to end hunger and malnutrition by educating and involving the community. Its network of 200 local agencies and programs feeds 55,000 people in Santa Cruz County every month. For every dollar donated, it provides four healthy meals. “Together we fight hunger all year long.” www.thefoodbank.org