Contact: media@hispanicfederation.org
With $44.3 million award Hispanic Federation is on track to provide over $75 million in total COVID-19 relief
NEW YORK — Hispanic Federation, the nation’s leading network of Latino community-based organizations, will provide one-time direct relief payments of $600 to 62,900 qualifying farmworkers and meatpacking workers, thanks to a two-year, $44.3 million grant administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Workers who incurred pandemic-related health and safety costs in 19 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are eligible for rewards through the grant, which is part of the $665 million Farm and Food Workers Relief (FFWR) Grant Program.
“Farmworkers and meatpacking workers, who suffered high rates of infection and mortality throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, will finally receive much-needed and deserved financial support thanks to this important new grant from the USDA,” said Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation. “Hispanic Federation is proud to do our part to get the nation’s most essential workers, who kept us fed throughout the pandemic, their fair share of recovery dollars. I want to thank Secretary Vilsack and President Biden for making sure that farm and meatpacking workers receive relief and recognition for their essential work.”
“USDA is committed not only to acknowledging the work of our nation’s essential agricultural and food workers, but also ensuring they are not left out of opportunities for relief from the effects of the pandemic,” said Secretary Vilsack in a USDA press release. “Grant recipients will help us provide relief payments to workers across the country who kept food moving to our families during an especially challenging time.”
Hispanic Federation is one of 15 organizations selected to receive the competitive FFWR grant, which is the largest government grant received by Hispanic Federation to date. Hispanic Federation will be working with 39 of its partner organizations to distribute the payments to frontline farmworkers and meatpacking workers. Including the FFWR grant, Hispanic Federation is on track to provide more than $75 million in COVID-19 related relief, working with over 400 nonprofits in 41 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.
