NAU Yuma students are raising money to help field workers with essentials

YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — Every year, thousands of farmworkers flock to Yuma, the winter lettuce capital of the world, to work during the winter season.

Their dedication inspired a group of students at Northern Arizona University’s Yuma campus to raise funds to purchase lunch coolers for field workers.

The idea came about when a group of social work students noticed that farmworkers in their community were carrying their lunches in plastic bags.

Jocelyn Zaragoza and her three classmates started a GoFundMe page to purchase as many lunch coolers as possible for field workers.

“More sturdy bags to keep food warm or cold during long work hours. They do so much for us by providing us with salad and vegetables. I think it’s important that we give something back to them,” Zaragoza said.

They hope to distribute them at the annual Farm Worker Day in San Luis in December.

The U.S.-Mexico border is a major area of study for the social work program at NAU’s Yuma campus.

Griselda Monitel said they learned about the social impact they can have in agricultural communities and she was able to share her own experiences with classmates.

“My father always worked in the fields,” Montiel said.

She remembers a time when her father attended the same commodities trade show, and now she’s grateful for the opportunity to make a difference.

“It’s like giving back to him and his community because that’s his community too,” she said.

About 2,000 farm workers attend the fair every year.

According to Zaragoza, they plan to use the money they raise to buy sunscreen and ibuprofen in addition to lunch coolers.

NAU’s Flagstaff campus also donated hats, gloves and other warm items to be distributed on Farmworker Day.

NAU Yuma will have a booth at the annual event hosted each winter by the nonprofit organization Campesinos Sin Fronteras in San Luis.

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