Stories of Change


Photo taken by Vicente of the crops damaged by hurricane Debby

Harvesting Through the Storm

As natural disasters grow in frequency and intensity, the devastating effects of climate change are becoming impossible to overlook. While some may still manage to turn a blind eye, the most vulnerable among us often face the brunt of these impacts. This is certainly true for migrant workers who nurture the land and are also on the frontline when witnessing the harsh consequences of irreversible environmental damage. 

We recently spoke with Vicente, a migrant farmworker in North Carolina, to learn how Hurricane Debby impacted him. 

Vicente is originally from Mexico and comes to North Carolina for months at a time to harvest a variety of seasonal crops, including peppers and sweet potatoes. The months he spends in the U.S. are time away from his family who are Vicente’s biggest motivator to do this physically demanding type of labor. He explained that he was also a farmworker in Mexico but made barely enough to feed his family. When his oldest son decided to go to university to pursue an engineering degree, Vicente realized the only way to sustain his child’s dream was to become a seasonal farm worker in the United States.

Most days, Vicente works about 12-13 hours on the field. He shared, “It’s heavy work. It’s pretty hot out and we often work in 90-100-degree heat.” Despite these long hours, as he talked about his work, Vicente’s tone was completely devoid of any type of negativity. Instead, he expressed gratitude for his coworkers, his caring boss and the opportunity to have a job that allows him to take care of his loved ones back home. 

When Hurricane Debby hit this past summer, Vicente’s opportunity to work was suddenly stunted. The fields were flooded and many of the crops Vicente and his fellow workers had worked tirelessly to grow were destroyed. “I’ve been a farmworker for 12 seasons but this was the first time we really felt the hurricane. It really affected us,” Vicente said. Due to the flooding, the workers were unable to work for 15 days straight, totaling about 195 hours of lost work and income. Without this income, Vicente was unable to meet his basic needs and struggled to even have enough food. 

It was during this time that CWS connected with El Futuro es Nuestro, a local organization that fights to ensure that migrant farmworkers are protected and taken care of. Our Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery team works with local organizations after disasters like Hurricane Debby to analyze and respond to the needs of migrant communities who are often left behind in the aftermath. Through this collaboration, CWS was able to grant El Futuro es Nuestro $25,000 for the farmworkers affected by the hurricane. “Thank you so much for this help,” said Vicente, adding that the financial assistance came as a surprise and allowed him to be able to buy food for himself. 

In partnership with devoted local organizations, CWS is committed to ensuring that in times of crisis, everyone is protected and has food on their table. Especially those who work tirelessly to make sure there is enough food for all to eat. 

To support individuals affected by recent hurricanes, please consider donating to our disaster response fund. You can learn more about CWS’ Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery work by clicking here.