photo credit: Noah Abrams/KRCB
Booths from County of Sonoma agencies lined one side of the Mary Agatha Furth Center
in Windsor for the Farm-worker Resource Fair.

Dozens flowed in and out of the Mary Agatha Furth Center at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Windsor, Sunday afternoon for a Farm-worker Resource Fair.

“Busting at the seams” is how one organizer described it.

A first of its kind effort from the County of Sonoma, the fair saw government agencies, non-profit groups, labor organizations, even representatives from the Mexican consulate all present at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church on Old Redwood Highway.

Sonoma County Job Link’s Carol McHale said people came looking for all sort of things.

"Food resources, health resources," McHale said. "We had advocacy, we had child services, we had cash aid, you know, human services type stuff. Jobs."

There providing information and help with housing assistance: Juan Reyes with the InterFaith Shelter Network.

"Most homeless services in Sonoma County are geared towards folks who meet the literal definition of homelessness," Reyes said. "So folks who are living in multi-family dealings, or who otherwise are considered housing insecure, don't always qualify for homeless services. So I think that's the difficult part we have to navigate."

Reyes said many seasonal farm laborers in Sonoma County grapple with insecure housing.

"We had some folks here that, you know, are living in their vehicles or places, not meant for human habitation," Reyes said. "So we were able to connect with them, connect them with Sonoma County coordinated entry. I think the information was well received. I just wish there was more for that specific demographic."

Other groups on hand providing information and assistance at the resource fair - county agencies like the DA’s Office and Department of Agriculture, Weights & Measures, Sonoma County Job Link, and the Economic Development Board. Non-profits included La Familia Sana and Corazon Healdsburg, and labor groups like Graton Day Labor Center. Samantha Rodriguez is director of the Center.

"What we noticed here at the fair was a lot of folks that are in need of work," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez and others at Sunday’s event noted the challenge of seasonal work many farm-workers deal with in Sonoma County. She said the seasonal cycle of agriculture isn’t the only issue for workers dispatched at the center.

"Most of our folks are without status and just with so many changes to law, it makes it a little difficult even for local businesses to be able to hire even if they want to," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said individuals without immigration status can look for work with assistance at the Day Labor Center.