The Foundation for Farmworkers

The Foundation for Farmworkers helps East Coast Migrant Head Start Project families recover from financial emergencies, be free from the fear of family separation, and pursue their educational goals.

About

About

Mission

The Foundation for Farmworkers raises funds for Grow Early Learning families to recover from financial distress, to be free from the fear of family separation, and to pursue their educational goals.

Who We Are

The Foundation for Farmworkers is an all-volunteer organization, led by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of twelve individuals who are committed to ensuring Grow Early Learning families have access to emergency financial assistance, pro bono immigration services, and need-based educational assistance grants.

Two Board members grew up in migrant farmworker families.  Four Board members currently work for agricultural employers. Three Board members have worked, or currently work, at Grow Early Learning. All twelve Board members are deeply committed to supporting the families who receive services from Grow Early Learning.  These hardworking families help ensure the United States of America has a safe, secure and affordable source of fresh food.

Our Board of Directors

Anais Beddard

Vice President & Co-Owner
Lady Moon Farms

    Bennett Haynes


      Dr. Jose Villa

      Board Member
      Grow Early Learning

        Gabriella Procacci

        Director of Community Outreach
        Procacci Brothers

          Jean Allen

          Partner
          Heidrick & Struggles

            John E. Menditto

            Chief Legal Officer
            Grow Early Learning

              Daniel Edwards

              Senior Advisor, Heidrick & Struggles
              Volunteer Firefighter Paramedic
              Montgomery County Fire and Rescue

                Sarah Brown

                Head of Public Affairs
                Agricultural Solutions North America
                BASF Corporation

                  Rebecca Gildiner

                  Director of Strategic Partnerships
                  Leading Harvest

                    Maria Perez

                    HR Manager
                    Lipman Family Farms

                      Javier Gonzalez

                      Chief Executive Officer
                      Grow Early Learning

                        John Cooper

                        Owner
                        Woodland Gardens Organic Farm

                                Grow Early Learning

                                Grow Early Learning is a nonprofit corporation celebrating its 50th consecutive year of providing high-quality and comprehensive Head Start services to farmworker families.  In 2024, Grow Early Learning will serve almost 3,000 children, aged birth to school age, in rural communities ranging from Lake Okeechobee, Florida, to Lake Erie, Pennsylvania, and extending west to rural communities in Indiana and Oklahoma. The services provided by Grow Early Learning will ensure the children of farmworkers are prepared for success in school and in life.

                                What We Do

                                Family Financial Emergency Assistance

                                Every week, families served by East Coast Migrant Head Start Project suffer unforeseen financial emergencies.  And every week, East Coast Migrant Head Start Project responds with grants of emergency financial assistance. 

                                In 2023, The Foundation for Farmworkers funded 85 emergency assistance grants to East Coast Migrant Head Start Project families.

                                In addition, we created a new, enhanced level of support – The Andrés Award – in memory of Andrés Martinez, a nine-year-old boy and former East Coast Migrant Head Start Project student, who was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident, while riding his bicycle in Fort Meade, Florida.

                                The families who have benefitted from The Foundation for Farmworkers’ emergency financial assistance endured many difficult circumstances, including the following:

                                • Loss of possessions in family’s mobile home fire (Semmes, AL)
                                • Father detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and scheduled for deportation (Dundee, FL)

                                • Family lacked resources to purchase needed medicine for children (Okeechobee, FL)
                                • Family on verge of homelessness received rental assistance (Palmetto, FL)
                                • Family members killed in vehicle accidents which resulted in financial and emotional distress (Palmetto, FL; Myakka, FL; and Bowling Green, FL)

                                Pro Bono DACA Support

                                The Foundation for Farmworkers is proud to support individuals applying for protection from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This support extends to providing pro bono legal assistance to Grow Early Learning DACA recipients, as well as paying the DACA application fee.  The DACA recipients supported by The Foundation for Farmworkers come from the following rural communities:

                                • Robertsdale, Alabama
                                • Steele, Alabama
                                • Haines City, Florida
                                • Immokalee, Florida
                                • Jennings, Florida
                                • Lake Wales, Florida
                                • Okeechobee, Florida
                                • Wauchula, Florida
                                • Statenville, Georgia
                                • Valdosta, Georgia

                                • Bridgeton, New Jersey
                                • East Bend, North Carolina
                                • Hendersonville, North Carolina
                                • Rocky Point, North Carolina
                                • Siler City, North Carolina
                                • Spring Home, North Carolina
                                • Whiteville, North Carolina
                                • Cape Charles, Virginia


                                Need-Based Education Grants

                                The Foundation for Farmworkers fosters educational opportunities for Grow Early Learning parents through the award of need-based grants. In 2024, The Foundation for Farmworkers awarded more than 40 grants to Grow Early Learning parents to provide each with an opportunity to pursue their academic dreams.