Media Contact: Susan McAvoy (202) 720-4623
susan.mcavoy@usda.gov
Public Contact: La Jaycee Brown (202) 720-9741
ljbrown@rdmail.rural.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23, 1999 -- Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman today awarded $20 million in grants to help low-income migrant and seasonal farmworkers who face economic hardships.
Grants will go to both public agencies and private organizations in Arkansas, California, Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Puerto Rico to pay for various emergency services, including housing, food, school supplies, transportation, medical and dental care, and rent or mortgage payments.
"Crops in many parts of the country have been devastated by winter freezes, hurricanes, and severe drought conditions," Glickman said. "As a result, the income of many farmworkers has declined by more than 50 percent."
Glickman said that 81,000 migrant farmworkers in California lost work due to crop disasters, including a citrus freeze last winter. California will receive two grants totaling $9.4 million to help provide housing, school supplies, medicine and transportation. Florida, which has suffered various emergencies, including hurricanes, freezes, drought, and fires, will receive a $9.1 million grant to provide housing assistance, including rental housing and to establish a revolving loan fund for housing rehabilitation.
Funding will be provided by state USDA Rural Development offices.
The list of grant recipients follows:
Click here for a detailed list.
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