EDD Outreach Worker Helps Community Organize to Assist Displaced Farmworkers

In December 2023, more than 20 farmworker families faced evictions from their apartments in Pajaro, California, just a few weeks before Christmas. The local housing health and safety office had determined that, due to the poor maintenance practices of the property owner, the families’ housing units were no longer fit for habitation. These families had lived in the apartment community for over 15 years, raising their children together, and working hard to make a life for themselves.

The families lost all their valuables and personal items since many of the homes were infested with pests and declared uninhabitable. They were now faced with homelessness during the holiday season. The farmworker families visited the Raices y Carino community center in Watsonville in desperate need of assistance with housing and other supportive services.

Ariel Santana, a Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker (MSFW) Outreach Worker (OW) for the Employment Development Department (EDD) partnering with the non-profit community organization, Raices y Carino, Santana was able to assist these families in need by performing outreach at their local assistance center, meeting with the families, and quickly assessing their immediate needs.

“When they first reach out to me, 100 percent of the time they need assistance with unemployment, state disability, and Paid Family Leave,” said Santana.” “I just don’t connect them to those departments. With their permission, we are on the phone with those departments together, getting through the hurdles for them to get their benefits.”

For the entire month of December 2023, Santana dedicated her time and effort to provide EDD services for qualified participants. Along with helping the farmworkers apply for unemployment benefits, she assisted them with CalJOBS registration, housing referrals, and food.

During these intensive outreach days, Santana collaborated with executive leadership from Raices and Carino, The Center for Farmworker Families, Monterey Housing Authority, Santa Cruz Housing Authority, and other organizations to provide the families with brand new mattresses, supplies, food and other necessities.

The dedication and commitment shown by Santana in coordinating these efforts to help the impacted farmworkers is just part of her story. Her proactive approach and genuine concern for the families she serves is evident in her interactions with them. Santana has worked for EDD as an Outreach Worker since 2014 and comes from a long line of farmworkers from Mexico. Her grandfather worked in the fields with labor leader and activist, Cesar Chavez.

“My grandfather and his sister initially came to this country as braceros, the Bracero Program, on a work visa, it is now referred to as the H2A/H2B Program,” said Santana. “EDD spearheads the intricate process of this program, it’s a big deal. On one of my family visits to Mexico, my grandfather had already passed, I shared with my grandmother that I was now working for our farmworkers in our county. She without hesitation said, ‘Oh, when your grandfather was working in the fields you could not get him to stop talking about Cesar and all the work, he was doing to fight the injustices happening to them,’” said Santana.

Just a few days before Christmas, Santana received a call from the Hopes Closet Santa Cruz donation center offering to share over 100 unwrapped volunteer-donated toys. Grateful for the offer, Santana coordinated a toy drive at Raices y Carino which serviced 20 families in attendance. In addition to the toy drive, Santana also went to a local Catholic Church in Santa Cruz County and shared the extra toys with other families and refugees in need. The families were very appreciative and thanked the Santana for all her assistance with unemployment insurance, housing referrals, and the toy drive.

This story is a clear example of how locally based EDD workers like Ariel Santana can help support California communities through organized efforts with local workers during difficult times. The farmworkers’ journey towards rebuilding their lives was far from over, but through the continued collaboration and unwavering support of organizations like Raices y Carino, and dedicated EDD staff like Ariel Santana, it will be a smoother trip. each step forward is a testament to the power of community and state government coming together in times of adversity. It's moments like these that showcase the power of compassion in times of crisis.

“There are so many injustices,” said Santana. “I am incredibly proud knowing that when I helped, I did what I am committed to, which is giving them the equitable services that they deserve. They deserve to be treated with the utmost respect.”