2023 AWARDEES
In the early 2023, California’s farm community was rocked by winter storms, flooding, and in many cases devastation. CAFF quickly re-launched its Emergency Fund, and as the end of April had provided nearly 50 of the most impacted farmers with over $263,000 in financial aid, over 90% of whom are immigrant and BIPOC farmers facing significant obstacles to recovery, as outlined in this heart-wrenching article.
Below you’ll meet just a few of the recipients of this round of funding. In a future of climate catastrophe, we need to stick together, ensuring that our family farms can bounce back come flood, wildfire or drought.
“En ser un inmigrante con varias metas en alcanzar. Es para mi un orgullo poder tener el apoyo de organizaciones como CAFF que sean generosos en poder ayudar hacer mis metas una realidad. Mis metas no podrían hacer una realidad sin mi familia. Mi esposa que me ayuda y continúa ampollándome en mi negocio en cada manera que ella puede. Al igual que mis hijas que me ayudan a finalizar contratos y ser certificado como un agricultor orgánico. Incluso poder traducir todas las conversaciones y documentos.Sin la ayuda de ellas no sería posible llegar a donde estoy. En enfocarme a poder seguir adelante con mi negocio cultivando y manejando maquinaria es a lo que yo siempre he hecho. Gracias a la ayuda financiera de becas es para mi una prioridad poder pagarles a mis trabajadores y cuidar la finca. Esta beca es un gran alivio para mi negocio en seguir adelante con menos preocupaciones.”
Translation: “As an immigrant with many goals to achieve, I am proud to have the support of organizations like CAFF that are generous in helping to make my goals a reality. My goals could not become a reality without my family. My wife who helps me and continues to help me in my business in every way she can. As well as my daughters who help me finalize contracts and become a certified organic farmer. Without their help I would have not been able to get to where I am today. Focusing on being able to move forward with my business growing crops and operating machinery is what I have always done. Thanks to the financial aid it has given me an priority to be able to pay my workers and take care of the farm. This scholarship is a great relief for my business to move forward with fewer worries.”
Alejandro Salazar Aldana
“We can’t thank CAFF enough for this financial assistance during the worst winter weather events we’ve ever experienced farming. We’ve had multiple structures damaged or destroyed, countless trees fall, and crops damaged or destroyed in the high winds and rain. We’ve received 80 inches of rain, and winds have been upwards of 70 miles per hour on multiple occasions. The amount of clean up keeps piling up, and we are super grateful for this support from CAFF to help us get through. Thank you so much.”
Christina Laughlin,
Sea to Sky Farm
“En nombre de mi familia estamos muy agradecidos por la baca, porque en verdad estamos pasando una situación muy difícil con la tormenta pero con la baca que nos van a brindar sería de mucha ayuda para nosotros, porque somos una familia de 6 y nueve amante gracias; con la beca podríamos cubrir los gastos, plantas, semillas y muchos cosas mas, en verdad hemos tenido mucho pérdidas y gracias.”
Translation: ” On behalf of my family we are very thankful for the scholarship, because in all honesty we are going through a very difficult situation with the storm but with the scholarship that you are going to give us it will be a great help for us, because we are a family of 6 and 9, thank you; with the scholarship we could cover the expenses, plants, seeds and many other things, in all honesty we have had many losses and thank you.”
Emiliano Gómez Vásquez
“En nombre de mi granja familiar e empleados, me gustaría agradecerles sinceramente por su generosa donación a través de la beca designada para la cual he sido seleccionada como beneficiaria. Esta beca me permitirá continuar cultivando mi granja agricola que sufrió daños significativos debido a las recientes inundaciones. Como resultado de estas inundaciones, se necesitó mano de obra y materiales adicionales para reparar los daños. Como agricultora hispana perteneciente a una minoría, espero continuar cultivando productos que nutran y alimenten a nuestras comunidades, ¡tanto en mente, corazón y espíritu! ¡Gracias de nuevo por esta oportunidad de beca!”
Translation: “On behalf of my entire family and employees, I would like to sincerely thank you for your generous donation through the designated grant for which I have been selected as a recipient. This grant will allow me to continue farming which suffered significant damage due to the recent flooding. As a result of these floods, additional labor and materials were needed to repair the damage. As a minority Hispanic farmer, I hope to continue to grow crops that nourish and feed our communities, both in mind, heart and spirit! Thank you again for this scholarship opportunity!”
Alma Fernandez
“With the help of great partners like CAFF, us farmers can keep doing what we love to do which is farm and grow food for our community. During these times of hardship and struggles, having a partner like CCAF helps us stay on our feet and survive. I want to thank everyone that makes this help possible and let you know that this is greatly appreciated.”
Jose Villanueva Vigil
“Cuando recibí la notificación de que había calificado para una beca, me dio mucho gusto. Me di cuenta que a pesar de las adversidades del mal tiempo y las pérdidas incalculables en nuestra zona de Wastonville y Pájaro, nos sentimos agradecidos por los recursos que obtuvimos para solventar algunas necesidades básicas. Muchas gracias CAFF. ¡Siempre los recordaré!”
Translation: “When I received notification that I had qualified for a grant, I was very pleased. I realized that despite the adversities of bad weather and untold losses in our Wastonville and Pajaro area, we feel grateful for the resources we obtained to meet some basic needs. Thank you so much CAFF, I will always remember you!”
Apolinar Yrena
“Aprovecho esta oportunidad para agradecer el apoyo que me brindan en esta situacion de desastre ambiental. Esta beca que se me otorga, no les quede la menor duda de que la utilizare de la mejor manera posible para estabilizar un poco mi negocio de la granja. Lo primero sera para pagar transplantes, semillas para los nuevos cultivos, fertilizantes , implementos para sistema de riego y el pago de mano de obra de la persona que me ayuda. Sinceramente, este apoyo sera de mucha ayuda para mi negocio. He anexado algunas fotografias y espero compartir algunas mas cuando coseche. Espero sigan ustedes ofreciendo apoyos como estos , ya que son un alivio para el estres en el que nos encontramos por esta situacion.”’
Translation: “I take this opportunity to thank you for your support me in this situation of environmental disaster. I have no doubt that I will use this grant in the best possible way to stabilize my farm business. The first thing will be to pay for transplants, seeds for the new crops, fertilizers, irrigation system implements and the payment of the labor of the person who helps me. Sincerely, this support will be very helpful for my business. I have attached some pictures and I hope to share some more when I harvest. I hope you will continue to offer support like this, as it is a relief for the stress we are under because of this situation.”
Guadalupe Quintero
“Pues en este monto por las tormentas. Fue de salogado de mi parcels y esta ayuda me va hacervir aenpesar denuevo. Ya que perdi parte de mis inplementos y materiales y mis cultivos muchisimas. Gracias por el apoyo”
Translation: ” Well, in this amount because of the storms. I was evicted from my plot and this help will help me to start again. Since I lost part of my implements and materials and my crops. Thank you for your support.”
Eloy Gonzalez
2020 AWARDEES
As of June 30, CAFF announced four rounds of emergency assistance grants to California farmers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the growers have not or are unlikely to receive other forms of assistance, falling through the cracks of state and federal stimulus efforts. The California Family Farmer Emergency Fund has so far awarded 89 micro-grants totaling over $222,000. Here are just a few of the recipients:
“With this grant my family farm will be able to buy personal protective gear to help us continue farming during this pandemic. This gives me hope that during a crisis like this there is light in the middle of the storm. Thank you so much!!!”
Lee Xiong
Xiong’s Fresh Produce
“Our family, at Products from Paradise, wants to sincerely thank CAFF and all of the donors for your amazing support! This grant will help us to continue our growth during these uncertain times in order to accomplish our mission of providing quality, fresh, locally grown Nopales and tomatillo to communities all across the California Central Valley. We hope to support the growing interest in Hispanic cuisine and equitable access to healthy food.”
Darlene Ruiz
Products From Paradise
“Due to the COVID 19 pandemic, I have lost sale. This grant is greatly significant and provides me much needed stress relief due to my lost sale. I will use it wisely to continue farming, pay for my rent of farmland, and fix walk-in cooler. Your support allows me and my family has an opportunity to regain our financially lost and keep our farm running. It is very meaningful to us to fight with this struggle together. Thank you again for your assistant and support.”
Xue Qiong Tan
Morgan Hill,CA
“This money awarded to me and my family means a lot to us. My family is really grateful because with this money I can use it toward fertilization of my plant and also part of it to pay for my wife’s funeral experience. Me and my family are really thankful.”
Isidro Leon
Leon farming
“As our country undergo a health crisis, my family and I are struggling financially. Typically, at this time of year we are selling our vegetables to local venders and able to distribute our vegetables nationwide. However, due to the pandemic my family and I often find it hard to make ends meet. We are struggling to buy fertilizers for our growing crops and diesel for our tractor so we can continue to farm.
My parents are longtime local farmer in Fresno. I grew up farming with my parents and would like to continue on this tradition. We appreciate the emergency fund. With the emergency fund we will be able to purchase necessary fertilizers for our growing crops, diesel and purchase masks in order to get ready to harvest our vegetables.”
Cher Xiong
Cher Xiong Farm
I want to thank the scholarship that was awarded to me. Money that we will use to continue making produce our strawberry. We will also continue to give work to working families and, consequently, helping the recovery of the country’s economy. Thanks for everything.
Armando Barragan Mendez
MGA Farms
“It’s hard to put into words our gratitude for the CAFF grant at Oz Farm. For us, it means the space to take a small breath of relief, and a reminder to have trust even in such uncertain times. We are honored and invigorated by CAFF’s support to keep on tending the soil and sharing nutritious food with our neighbors and community members in Mendocino County.”
Madeline Holtzman
Oz Farm
“First and foremost, Thank you so much! This grant will help us with our overhead costs, most importantly aid us in keeping our team employed and able to feed and nurture their families. This means so much to us during these difficult time. We have so much gratitude for CAFF. […] Again thank you so much. We cannot thank you enough for your kindness and help during such a difficult time.”
The Marquez Family
Rancho Santa Cecilia
Esther and Javier Gomez
Prairie Companion Company
“The CAFF grant will allow Balakian Farms to continue organic, sustainable farming practices that promote healthy lifestyles, and a healthy environment. During this uncertain time, it creates opportunities that promote multi-generational relationships through utilization of sound methods and farming practices at our family farm.”
Amber Balakian
Balakian Farms
“The COVID-19 pandemic changed things dramatically for me very quickly as a farmer as we lost all of our revenue streams pretty immediately. As a single mother, such losses are devastating. This grant will help me to cover some of our costs as we have changed our farm model very quickly and are hustling to meet new demands and to serve our community the healthiest and freshest food we can grow. Thank you so much for this help – this has a significant impact for us to help us keep going.”
Bianca Bonilla
Community Roots Farm
Bertha Magana
Magana Farms
“The Afzal family would like to thank CAFF for this incredible funding opportunity. When the COVID-19 pandemic started and our business took a hit we did a lot of research into finding support for small farmers but could find very little support to help small farmers. As farmers, we often have many things working against us that we have very little control over yet this is one of the most important jobs in the world and we take great pride in helping feed our community. Running a small family farm can be even more difficult for an immigrant family that has the odds stacked against them. This grant allows us to continue doing the work that we are very proud of.”
Muzammil Afzal
MA Farm
“Thank you so much for awarding us this grant! For the past couple of months and even till this day, my husband and I are struggling to keep up with our bills and maintaining our farm that we love due to the pandemic. This grant will allow us to catch up on some bills and create a safety net for us to continue to do what we love. Thank you, CAFF for supporting our little farm.”
Pa Xiong
Pa Xiong’s Farm
SPECIAL THANKS TO A FEW OF OUR GENEROUS RAINMAKER DONORS
