City giving $10K boost to group that supports migrant workers in Flamborough

For close to 20 years, a small community group in Flamborough has been a helping hand to migrant workers of the area.

Today, under the name Migrants Matter Flamborough (MMF), the group of five volunteers supportsmore than400 migrant workers from Mexico and the Caribbean every year with help from the local community.

"From preparing the ground, to planting the seeds, to sowing the seeds and watering and harvesting and packaging. [Migrant workers] are our food chain," said Terry Sciamonte, one of the volunteers.

Sciamontewas "completely excited" when Hamilton council unanimously approved a grant of $10,000forthe group on Aug. 16.

"We don't have sponsors," Sciamonte told CBC Hamilton. "So anytime an event comes up, we kind of go out there and appeal to the public."

The "incredible" Flamborough community often does come through when donations are needed, and they've received money from other groups like The Neighbourhood Organization, 100 Women Who Care Flamborough and their local Mark's, she said.

The citygrant, however, Sciamonte said, will be enough to "sustain us into next year."

Relationship with workers makes'stronger, healthier community': councillor

According to Ward 15 councillor Ted McMeekin who brought forward the motion for the grant in council the group was selected through the Ward 15 Community Council, who meetevery six weeks to discuss local themes of interest.

"We have access to about a quarter of a million dollar non-tax revenue account that comes from the cell tower, they pay a fee, so the people in the ward are able to make decisions about what their priorities are," he said.

He believes the community chose the group as one of the recipients of the grant due to their passion and care for migrant workers locally.

McMeekin said the bridges built by the group make a "stronger, healthier community," and said supporting migrant workers is supporting the local agriculture.

"We talk a lot about saving prime agricultural lands and, and respecting and encouraging our agricultural sector to grow the food ...andit wouldn't be so easy to do if it weren't for these wonderful people," he said.

Members of small group have a'mutual passion'

MMF offers migrant workers of the area welcome bags, bicycles (that many use as their main form of transportation), clothing, medication and translators as requested and access to resources, the group said.

Every year, the group selects a "major project" to fundraise for.

"This year we built health kits for them," Sciamonte said. "We built 400 kits, each worker got insect repellent, eye drops, Tums, pain patches, sunscreen, just healthcare products that will help them get through every day at work."

They also host annual picnics to celebrate migrant workers in the area.

"[The picnic] is such a big deal," she said.

"It's the one day that they're free, that they're not associated with the farm. They come, they kayak, they swim, they play soccer, football, different games. We have a fry truck there in the morning. It's just their day."

It's a lot of work for a group of volunteers, but for Sciamonte is the least they can do.

"It's a labour of love," said Sciamonte, before correcting herself. "It's not even labour. It's just, I think it's a mutual passion that the five of us have."