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Spotlighting the lives and contributions of Agricultural Workers and a health center's commitment to their care
While most Americans are privileged to have access to abundant, affordable produce year round, many of us don't know where that food comes from— or who tends and harvests the crops. Each year, millions of farm workers and their families labor in orchards, vineyards and fields across the country to provide us with fresh fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products. This book sheds light on the unseen faces that make our access possible.
Proceeds from each book purchase benefit the SJFMC Migrant Health Program and uninsured residents who depend on our health care services. Please consider helping today!
Support Farmworkers and Purchase Your Copy Today!
Support Farmworkers and Purchase Copy Today!
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“I work with a smile and enthusiam no matter what I’m facing. Because in the end, this food lands on plates in thousands of homes providing good nutrition for families. I take pride in my work and am very thankful for it! I am very responsible and only take off when I am sick or have to go to the doctor. I have no complaints.”
~Juan Garcia
Camden County Farmworker/SJFMC Promolore
Summary
New Jersey, the Garden State—where over 40% of its own residents aren’t sure why this nickname is on every license plate in the state—has approximately 715,000 acres dedicated to agriculture. Farmers produce 100 different kinds of fruits and vegetables in rural areas that extend from southern New Jersey to points north. Agriculture is the state’s third-largest industry and is valued at well over a billion dollars! Here’s something else many New Jerseyans don’t know. While most may be privileged to have access to abundant, affordable produce year round, many of us don’t know where that food comes from. Or who tends and harvests the crops. Each year, millions of farmworkers and their families labor in orchards, vineyards and fields across the country to provide us with fresh fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products.
Farmworkers are comprised mainly of immigrant labor. While some farmworkers are permanent workers, almost 30,000 farmworkers leave their homes in Puerto Rico, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico and other Central American countries to follow the Eastern Migrant Stream from Florida through Maine. They stop along the way in New Jersey every year, many working the rural areas of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem Counties. They hand pick blueberries, peaches, tomatoes, cranberries, strawberries, corn and other fruits and vegetables grown in the area.
The agricultural industry relies heavily on farmworkers, and while they provide invaluable and necessary goods and services, they often earn low wages and face job instability as their employment depends upon weather conditions, the health of crops and immigration policies. Agricultural workers endure many job-related hazards and risks associated with their working conditions and the manual nature of their work, such as working in the rain and blazing sun, strained muscles and bones due to constant bending and stooping, and skin disorders, infectious diseases and exposure to pesticides.
They also work extremely long hours, from sun up to sun down. Most live in isolation, away from their families, and face linguistic, cultural and social barriers as a way of life. Many suffer chronic health conditions including diabetes and hypertension. While they work to provide nutritious food for our tables, they generally live in close quarters, eat in groups at migrant camps and seldom have control over their own diets.
Due to the many extreme conditions and challenges agricultural workers encounter, many farmworkers suffer poorer-than-average health. Without the help of Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers’ Migrant Outreach Team, along with our providers, clinical support staff and health centers, our local farm workers would lack access to healthcare, education and other services. At SJFMC we are committed to helping farmworkers in any way we can and enhancing their lives by providing them with compassionate health care and empowering them through health education and promotion. We find that their positivity, pride and determination are admirable! As they work hard for better lives for themselves and their families, we ask you to do your part. Understand the life of a farmworker. Recognize and appreciate their various cultures and contributions
to our communities, and say thanks to the helping hands that put food on our plates.
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Learn About the Author
Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers
Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center, has provided primary health care services to migrant seasonal farmworkers for more than four decades. Beginning in 1977 with seven workers providing comprehensive services to farmworkers in local farm camps, the organization known then as Sa-Lantic Health Services quickly expanded across southern Jersey. Today, SJFMC proudly provides preventative health care and dental services to uninsured and underserved residents and migrant seasonal workers throughout Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem Counties. The health center has eight service delivery sites and two Mobile Medics. It is a Level III Patient-Centered Medical Home, providing health care to over 52,000 patients annually.
Services include pediatric and well-baby care, adult and internal medicine, women’s health care and family planning, dental services, behavioral health, podiatry, health education, migrant outreach, patient transportation, care management and translation services. Services are provided to all patients in a sensitive and culturally appropriate manner, regardless of their ability to pay. Uninsured patients are welcome, and outreach efforts are designed to reach patients most in need of comprehensive and accessible medical care. SJFMC is proud to be an integral part of the health care delivery system that reduces financial and cultural barriers to meet the needs of the community. (click here for more information on authors and contributors)
Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers President/Chief Executive Officer, Linda Y. Flake, has led the organization since 1992. Flake, a health center pioneer, is credited for making SJMFC a premier health center that breaks down barriers to care and closes the gap in health disparities. She makes it her personal mission to protect the most vulnerable and make quality health care a reality for everyone.
Mika Highsmith-Hasan
Mika Highsmith-Hasan is the head of Marketing and Public Relations for SJFMC. An award winning former television journalist with a track record of advocating for viewers by solving problems, she is committed to boosting awareness on the value of SJFMC, advocating for patients while continuing to champion for the less privileged, and telling thoughtful stories that bring sensitive issues to light and provoke change.
Nicole Travis, MPH
Nicole Travis led the Migrant Outreach Department at Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers for three seasons. Prior to her employment at SJFMC, she spent two years in the Peace Corps as a health educator, worked as an outreach coordinator in New York City and obtained her Master’s Degree in Public Health.
Tracie Van Auken, Photographer
Tracie Van Auken is a freelance photographer living in West Philadelphia. She is a New Jersey native and received a master’s in photojournalism from Ohio University and a bachelors in film from the University of Southern California.
Support This Fundraiser
"From Our Hands To Yours" portrays the lives of agricultural workers while highlighting Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers (SJFMC) and its Migrant Outreach Team's commitment to providing access to health care for farm workers in southern New Jersey.
** All proceeds support the Southern Jersey Family Medical Centers Migrant Health Program**