A local coalition called Farmworker CARE has received a $600,000 grant to help improve migrants' health and living conditions in North County. The award is one of ten grants the California Endowment is providing to groups in agricultural communities throughout the state. KPBS Reporter Kenny Goldberg has the story.
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The three-year grant is designed to foster a grass-roots approach to improving farm workers' health. Coalitions will use the money to train farm workers to act as health promoters in their own communities.
California Endowment spokesman Mario Guitierrez says promoters will try to get their neighbors to take an active role in solving health problems.
Guitirrez: "So if it's about nutrition, and if it's about the kinds of things they're eating and their family is eating, let's think about whether we could create a community garden. Or let's think about whether or not they have even a stove to cook the food for their own family."
Guitierrez says better living conditions is one of the keys to improving farmworkers' health. He says coalitions hope to involve local employers in that effort. Kenny Goldberg, KPBS News.
