Undocumented immigrants typically work the lowest-paid jobs, providing in-home domestic care, housekeeping in the lodging industry, serving as cooks and dishwashers in restaurants, and working in agriculture. Except for farmworkers, most have lost their jobs or had their hours cut since the COVID-19 pandemic struck our communities. Farmworkers have been compelled to work without adequate PPE or health screenings, and typically have no health benefits. Ten Monterey Bay area organizations have banded together to coordinate assistance for this most vulnerable population, under the umbrella of UndocuFund Monterey Bay (https://www.undocufundmb.org).
Len Beyea interviews leaders from three of the ten sponsoring organizations: Maria Cadenas, Executive Director of Santa Cruz Community Ventures (https://www.sccvonline.org); Laura Segura, CEO of Monarch Services (https://www.monarchscc.org); and Darlene Torres, Department Manager for Community Health at Salud Para la Gente (https://splg.org). They share stories of immigrant families, of the intersections of the services their respective organizations offer, and how UndocuFund is helping local families.
