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 East Coast Migrant Head Start Project 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 East Coast Migrant Head Start Project families have access to emergency financial assistance, pro bono immigration services, and need-based educational assistance grants.

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

Our Board of Directors

Anais Beddard

Vice President & Co-Owner
Lady Moon Farms

    Bennett Haynes

    Sales Executive
    Baldor Specialty Foods

      Dr. Jose Villa

      Board Member
      East Coast Migrant Head Start Project

        Gabriella Procacci

        Director of Community Outreach
        Procacci Brothers

          Jean Allen

          Partner
          Heidrick & Struggles

            John E. Menditto

            Chief Legal Officer
            East Coast Migrant Head Start Project

              Maria C. Garza

              Chief Executive Officer
              East Coast Migrant Head Start Project

                Maria Perez

                HR Manager
                Lipman Family Farms

                  Rebecca Gildiner

                  Director of Strategic Partnerships
                  Leading Harvest

                    Sondra McDonald

                    Chief Financial Officer
                    East Coast Migrant Head Start Project

                      Sarah Brown

                      Head of Public Affairs
                      Agricultural Solutions North America
                      BASF Corporation

                        Daniel Edwards

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

                          East Coast Migrant Head Start Project

                          East Coast Migrant Head Start Project is a nonprofit corporation celebrating its 50th consecutive year of providing high-quality and comprehensive Head Start services to farmworker families.  In 2024, ECMHSP 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 East Coast Migrant Head Start Project 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 East Coast Migrant Head Start Project 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 East Coast Migrant Head Start Project parents through the award of need-based grants. In 2024, The Foundation for Farmworkers awarded more than 40 grants to East Coast Migrant Head Start Project parents to provide each with an opportunity to pursue their academic dreams.