Beans & Jeans is an annual project of the United Women in Faith (formerly United Methodist Women). In October & November of each year, we collect jeans, long sleeve shirts, 1 pound bags of dry beans and rice for the Farmworkers Self-Help Center. Donation boxes will be located in the Fellowship Hall.
In order to feed our country, an estimated two million farm workers labor in fields and on ranches across the United States, handpicking the vast majority of fruit and vegetable crops. Farm workers are the backbone of our $200 billion agricultural industry, however the people who work to feed the U.S. struggle to feed their own families.
Farm workers are among the poorest workers in America and agricultural work is hard work. Hazardous conditions are routine and include pesticide exposure, heat stress, lack of shade, and adequate clean drinking water. Child farm workers risk their safety, health, and education working the fields because their parents can’t earn adequate wages to support a family.
Farmworkers Self-Help Center in Dade City (where our donations go) organizes, educates and advocates with/for farmworkers and other poor. They assist with food, low- or no-cost clothing, education and immigration assistance. They provide training to promote self-esteem, business skills and self-reliance. They get no government funding but operate on donations only.
More info: Nancy Fallis 727-504-5186
Barbara DeFoe 727-492-5455
