DELANO, Calif. (KERO) — Healthcare, support services and new opportunities are moving closer to home for Delano’s farmworkers and their families.
For farmer Melvin Archila, the California Farmworker Foundation has already opened doors through its leadership programs and community initiatives.
“The foundation has opened doors for me in my work and in my leadership as a member of its Agricultural Work Advisory Council,” said Archila.
Now, new funding is helping expand that impact by bringing critical services closer to farmworker families.
Organizers first introduced plans for the resource center in June. With funding now in place, they say the project is gaining momentum and moving one step closer to becoming a reality.
The goal is to create a central hub where farmworkers and their families can more easily access the services and support they need.
Darrell Muniz, Chief Executive Officer for the California Farmworker Foundation, said the center is intended to be a place where farmworker families can find support and opportunity.
“It will be a safe and trusted place where farmworkers feel truly seen, heard, and empowered. A place where a mother can get care for her family, for a father to learn any skill, for a child to look up and believe I can do anything,” said Muniz.
A total of $2 million in state funding was secured by Senator Melissa Hurtado for the California Farmworker Foundation, capping off a two-year effort to bring the center to life.
Hurtado said the project addresses what she sees as a gap in access to services for farmworkers throughout the Valley.
“You know it felt like there was so much, they’ve been going through so much yet there’s no place in the valley a central location that’s a one stop shop for them. I think this was a huge gap and I’m happy it’s finally getting done,” said Hurtado.
The resource center is expected to offer services including mental health care, dental and vision care, and health care.
Families will also have access to benefits enrollment, financial literacy programs, a food pantry, and services for children and seniors.
Organizers say the goal is simple: make essential resources more accessible to the workers and families who help drive the region’s agricultural economy.
For Archila, the center represents more than just a physical space.
“It’s not just a building. It’s a structure that in all honesty, brings hope to people like us who are agriculture workers,” said Archila.
Wednesday’s check presentation brings the center closer to opening day, which is scheduled for November 1.
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