http://myopr.com/articles/2007/02/12/news/local_state/news1.txt

‘Just the beginning'

By noon Saturday, hundreds of farmworkers, many with plastic ponchos or umbrellas, lined the side of the Comision Honorifica Mexicana Americana building waiting for their turn to receive a box of non-perishable foods.

The workers, affected by the recent freeze that devastated the citrus industry, expressed concern about their economic future. About 28,000 farmworkers in the San Joaquin Valley have been left jobless.

“I am afraid that this is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Paul Chavez, son of Cesar Chavez, the labor leader, civil rights activist and founder of United Farm Workers of America. “In the next couple of weeks, I am afraid that we will see the brutal part of it. Rents are going to be due and refrigerators will be empty. The need is great.”

Paul Chavez and his two sons, Anthony, 21, and Fernando, 19, were on hand to volunteer in the distribution of $30,000 worth of nonperishable foods on behalf of the United Farm Workers Foundation.

The food was donated by the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and delivered in two truckloads, courtesy of Teamsters International Union and Teamsters Local 63.

“The need is definitely here. People are suffering. People are desperate,” said Arturo Rodriguez, president of UFW of America. “This is not the first time this has happened. In 1990 and in 1998 we had some serious freezes. We want to make sure we are doing everything possible to help.”

UFW leaders met with about 500 farmworkers Wednesday in Porterville.

“We listened to them and their concerns and we wanted to respond as quickly as possible,” said Rodriguez. “The response has been amazing. We made some calls and when the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor heard about it, they immediately started collecting this food for us.

“And this is just the beginning. We know it's a long haul and people will be out of work for a long time. We're going to be here doing everything we can.”

No one would know more about the needs of the people than Elva Beltran, director of Love in the Name of Christ, an organization that has been assisting with utility and rental payments to workers affected by the freeze.

In her office, Beltran has cabinet after cabinet and box after box containing paperwork, including dozens of eviction notices, from the workers who are suffering because of the freeze.

“Just in the last three weeks we have filled two boxes of files. And I have three sheets from people in the Strathmore and Lindsay areas who are asking for help. There is going to be a tremendous amount of people asking for assistance,” Beltran said. “We've been kept busy. There is always one thing after another happening to individuals who are affected by the circumstances. We've been helping nonstop.”

Beltran also expressed gratitude to individuals and organizations who have donated toward the needs.

“One couple came by and brought 100 pounds of pinto beans and 100 pounds of rice. We got to working right away, separating them into smaller bags to distribute,” Beltran said. “We are very thankful. Not a day goes by that a church or attorney does not step forward to help.”

It was a sentiment that many of the people standing in line echoed.

“This is a great thing they are doing today,” said Monica Fuentes of Strathmore as she waited outside with two young children, ages 3 and 5. “Some people here do not know what to do. Some people do not have any way to get food, and some do not know if they will still have their homes by the end of the week. I am thankful for the help they offer and for this food. Times are really hard right now.”

Contact The Recorder newsroom at 784-5000, Ext. 1044.

This story was published in The Porterville Recorder on Feb. 12, 2007