Farm Worker Health Task Force Members & More Information

Members:

  • Lotti Boschmann
  • Margaret Goering
  • Carola Ratzlaff
  • Lici Roth (Health Care Promoter)
  • Amy Swanson
  • Kate Steeves

This Task Force is guided by the Mennonite Central Committee of Canada statement and/or mandate as we seek to be the appropriate resource in working with the Low German Mennonites in the WDC region.

Mennonite Central Committee seeks to share God’s love with LGM by working in a mutually beneficial relationship with local leaders, communities, and organizations to enhance their capacity to address such issues as poverty, conflict, literacy, health and natural disasters.

Mandate: MCC’s mandate is to partner with LGM in order to address locally identified needs which are congruent with MCC’s overall mission.  MCC at the international, national, provincial and regional levels are expected to follow a hemispheric approach with respect to goals, assumptions and program implementation strategies.

Goal 1:  To improve the literacy level of people in the LGM communities.

Goal 2:  To provide resources to LGM colonies for community building      projects.

Goal 3:  To coordinate a hemispheric approach in programs with LGM’s.

This led to the formation of the “Low German Mennonites from Mexico Support Committee Task Force” which coordinated with Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to help meet the health needs of the Low German migrant farm workers. This was especially beneficial because the Task Force could find Low German speakers to hire as Health Promoters or translators who would communicate with the Low German Mennonites to help them find resources they needed.  KDHE provides the funds through grants to pay the wages of the Health Promoters who work with Low German, Spanish, and English speaking farm workers.  The Health Promoters help their clients get appointments, help them get vouchers to pay for the medical appointments, and provide educational materials and information.

The program has expanded to include Spanish speaking farm workers.

At the February 3, 2021 Task Force meeting, the consensus was to change the name to “Farm Worker Health Task Force’ to reflect the actual population served by the Task Force.