Ufw Foundation

THE UFW FOUNDATION EMPOWERS FARM WORKERS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES TO IMPROVE WORKPLACE AND LIVING CONDITIONS THROUGH EFFECTIVE STATE AND FEDERAL ADVOCACY, GRASSROOTS ENGAGEMENT AND THE PROVISION OF CRITICAL SERVICES, SUCH AS CREDIBLE IMMIGRATION LEGAL REPRESENTATIONREACHING 704,843 CONSTITUENTS DIRECTLY THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS IN 2021 INCLUDING:1,018 UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS60,905 THROUGH OUR CALL CENTER166,783 THROUGH CANVASSING

EMERGENCY RELIEFAS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, THE UFW FOUNDATION PROVIDED CRITICAL DISASTER RELIEF FOR FARM WORKERS AND IMMIGRANTS. IN 2021, THE UFW FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTED $2,757,475 IN PANDEMIC FINANCIAL RELIEF TO IMMIGRANTS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY AND FARM WORKERS IN CALIFORNIA, WASHINGTON AND OREGON. IN ORDER TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY AND FURTHER PROTECT FARM WORKERS FROM COVID-19, THE UFW FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTED FOOD, FACE MASKS AND OTHER PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT IN CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON AND MICHIGAN THROUGH ON-THE-GROUND OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. IN CALIFORNIA, THE ORGANIZATION PARTNERED WITH WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN TO DISTRIBUTE RESTAURANT PREPARED MEALS AND WITH LOCAL FOOD BANKS TO DISTRIBUTE EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PURCHASED OR COLLECTED FOOD THROUGH PHILANTHROPIC DONATIONS. DURING EMERGENCY RESOURCE DISTRIBUTIONS, FARM WORKERS AND OTHER RURAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE ALSO PROVIDED WITH INFORMATION ABOUT EMERGENCY RELIEF RESOURCES, WORKPLACE RIGHTS, COVID-19 PREVENTION, AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS. THESE EFFORTS RESULTED IN:428,592 DIRECTLY REACHED THROUGH EMERGENCY RELIEF EVENTS; 83,383 EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES DISTRIBUTED;47,025 WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN MEALS PROVIDED; 1,596,752 MASKS DISTRIBUTED; AND40,282 COVID-19 VACCINES ADMINISTERED.

COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENTIMMIGRATION AND PUBLIC BENEFITS SERVICESAS THE LARGEST DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE-RECOGNIZED IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDER IN RURAL CALIFORNIA, THE ORGANIZATION WORKED DILIGENTLY TO ADDRESS FARM WORKERS AND OTHER LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANTS IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES NEEDS DURING THE PANDEMIC. DUE TO THE COVID-19 RISKS TO STAFF AND CONSTITUENTS, OUR IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES, PUBLIC BENEFITS ENROLLMENT AND TAX SERVICES STRATEGIES SHIFTED TO VIRTUAL SERVICES MOST OF 2021. ALL OF THE SERVICE CENTERS WERE OPEN FOR APPOINTMENT ONLY AND DOCUMENT DROP-OFF IN LATE 2021. DESPITE THIS TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE, THE UFW FOUNDATION WORKED ON 5,447 IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES CASES. ADDITIONALLY, THE UFW FOUNDATION PROVIDED 2,032 PEOPLE WITH PUBLIC BENEFITS APPLICATION ASSISTANCE IN 2021.

SYSTEMIC CHANGELEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCACYTHE UFW FOUNDATION HAS FOCUSED SIGNIFICANTLY ON LIFTING THE STORIES OF FARM WORKERS THROUGH TRADITIONAL AND DIGITAL MEDIA GIVEN THE DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS HAD ON THIS COMMUNITY. THE SYSTEMIC CHANGE TEAM HAS ALSO FOCUSED EXTENSIVELY ON ENGAGING AND DEVELOPING THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS OF FARM WORKERS, CHILDREN OF FARM WORKERS AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. CONSTITUENTS ARE ENGAGED THROUGH HOUSE MEETINGS (DIGITAL AND IN-PERSON, UTILIZING COVID-19 SAFETY MEASURES), DOOR TO DOOR CANVASSING, PHONE BANKING, AND COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGNS. FARM WORKERS AND THEIR CHILDREN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY HAVE RECEIVED ADVOCACY AND STORY-TELLING TRAINING. AS SUCH, OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE SPOKEN WITH MEDIA REPORTERS AND PARTICIPATED IN DIGITAL MEETINGS WITH HEALTH OFFICIALS, CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS AND OTHER POLICY-MAKERS. THEY HAVE ALSO VOLUNTEERED AND RECRUITED VOLUNTEERS FOR FOOD AND EMERGENCY RELIEF RESOURCE EVENTS, HOUSE MEETINGS IN PREPARATION FOR ADVOCACY EFFORTS AND OTHER KEY EVENTS. SOME OF OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS INCLUDED SUCCESSFULLY PASSING THE IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL FOR FARM WORKERS, THE FARM WORKFORCE MODERNIZATION ACT (HR 1603), IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH STRONG BIPARTISAN SUPPORT THAT INCLUDED 30 REPUBLICANS. WE ALSO SUPPORTED ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS TO UPLIFT THE DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2021 WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT YOUTH AND TPS HOLDERS. H.R. 6, THE DREAM AND PROMISE ACT OF 2021. AS A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE WE ARE HOME CAMPAIGN, THE UFW FOUNDATION HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR IMMIGRATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE BUILD BACK BETTER SOCIAL SPENDING PACKAGE. AS A RESULT OF ONGOING ADVOCACY EFFORTS, LEGALIZATION LANGUAGE THAT PROVIDED WORK PERMITS, PROTECTION FROM DEPORTATION, AND THE ABILITY TO TRAVEL FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS WAS INCLUDED THE IN THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUILD BACK BETTER BUDGET BILL THAT PASSED ON NOVEMBER 19, 2021. ADVOCACY EFFORTS INCLUDED THREE DELEGATIONS TO WASHINGTON DC IN WHICH OVER 30 FARM WORKER LEADERS FROM 10 STATES MET WITH LAWMAKERS AND PARTICIPATED IN ACTIONS ADVOCATING FOR LEGALIZATION. ADDITIONALLY, THE UFW FOUNDATIONS ADVOCACY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL LED TO A $655 MILLION GRANT PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE USDA TO HELP FARMWORKERS AND OTHER FOOD WORKERS WITH PANDEMIC-RELATED HEALTH AND SAFETY COSTS. THE UFW FOUNDATION WORKED TO ADVANCE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD EMPOWER USDA TO SUPPORT FARM WORKERS THROUGHOUT THIS PANDEMIC. THE PROGRAM WILL LIKELY BEGIN DURING THE SUMMER OF 2022.ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE IMPACT OF THE UFW FOUNDATIONS ADVOCACY, COMMUNICATIONS AND DATA WORK HAD ON OUR ADVOCACY IS THE FACT THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION STARTED THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS TO INSTITUTE FEDERAL WORKPLACE HEAT STANDARDS TO PROTECT FARM WORKERS AND OTHER OUTDOOR WORKERS FROM HEAT DEATH. ADDITIONALLY, WE ACHIEVED CHANGES IN EMERGENCY HEAT STANDARDS IN WASHINGTON STATE.DIGITAL INITIATIVEIN 2021, THE DIGITAL INITIATIVE CONTINUED THE DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS BUSINESS APPLICATIONS ON OUR BLOCK-CHAIN BASED PLATFORM THAT SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE ALREADY USING, WHICH INCLUDES DACA IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES AND EMERGENCY RELIEF EVENT REGISTRATION. FARM WORKERS WERE ABLE TO REGISTER FOR DISASTER RELIEF FOOD OR PRE-PAID CARD DISTRIBUTION EVENTS IN ADVANCE VIA THEIR SMART PHONES AND STAFF WERE ABLE TO VERIFY THE INDIVIDUAL WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE EVENT. ADDITIONALLY, STAFF HELPED ENROLL FARM WORKERS INTO ITS TEXTING MESSAGING PROGRAM AT RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION EVENTS WHICH ALSO ALLOWED THE ORGANIZATION TO GAIN GREAT INSIGHTS INTO HOW FARM WORKERS UTILIZE THEIR SMARTPHONES AND HOW THEY BUILD DIGITAL TRUST.