California
California AgrAbility conducted outreach at the Madison Migrant Center in Yolo County. Although the migrant centers are closed to the public, limited access is available for agencies petitioning to bring in resources for the farm-working families. AgrAbility and colleagues from the Promotores Network were able to leave informational brochures, masks, and hand sanitizers for the families with the housing manager. A total of 82 families are currently living in the center.
Staff joined the virtual RISE collaborative Zoom meeting. This was the first virtual RISE meeting since the pandemic started, and it is expected to continue virtually for the next year. Attending organizations shared their experiences as they continue to provide and even expand services during the pandemic. AgrAbility shared highlights about program services, the device lending library, and upcoming webinars for promotores. Resources for Independent Living has provided five batteries and tool kits for individuals with disabilities in the community.
California AgrAbility participated in several National Farm Safety & Health Week webinars hosted by AgriSafe. The week started off with a webinar on tractor safety and the topic of ROPS. This webinar showed social media clips of agricultural equipment accidents such as ATV rollovers and scenes of children riding machinery with family members. The presenter spoke about the heightened need for safety, especially in these times where unsafe behaviors are portrayed to massive audiences via social media. The week continued with a webinar on mental health innovations and topics such as mental health views across different cultures and ethnicities. The webinar also touched on the importance of having a suicide prevention hotline for farmers that is more culturally responsive to the kind of stressors farmers face. AgriSafe closed NFSHW with a presentation on back pain in America. About 80% of Americans experience back pain at some point and it is second only to the common cold as the most common cause of lost work time.
Submitted by Sara Wat