Volunteers deliver 600 gift bags to migrant farm workers — far from loved ones — on Father's Day

While Father's Day is all about spending time with and honouring dads everywhere, the day can be much more difficult for migrant farm workers who can not be with their loved ones.

That's why a group of volunteers with Unity Hopeful has continued their annual tradition of putting gift bags together and delivering them to farms across Essex County.

Following three months of planning, the group has been collecting supplies, including tubes of toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, socks and cologne, since Friday.

On Sunday, volunteers met at the Unifor Local 2458 office on Somme Avenue to put the gift bags together and load them into a van before heading off to Leamington, Ont.

Joan Gray, founder of Unity Hopeful, led an effort on June 19, 2022 to put together and hand-deliver about 600 gift bags to migrant farm workers in Leamington, Ont. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)The group's founder, Joan Gray, estimates about 600 bags were put together. But she added that's a significant decline since the tradition first started 11 years ago.

"It's a tough year for everybody. We did not get the donations as we usually do," said Gray.

However, the sentiment remains appreciated by workers at 10 farms in the Leamington area who received the gift bags.

"Even though technology's so advanced now and they can FaceTime, there's nothing like being in person with your kids and giving them a hug and all that so they're really sad this time of the year,” she added.

Frank Pineda, who has volunteered for Unity Hopeful for three years said he knows the feeling all too well.

Frank Pineda, volunteer for the Unity Hopeful charity, says migrant farm workers often speak to him about missing loved ones back home. (Sanjay Maru/CTV News Windsor)As a person of Latin descent, Pineda added he's had one-on-one conversations with workers about their feelings of being away from home.

"They're actually surprised when they see somebody that can speak the language," he said. "They always miss their parents, their kids, wife, girlfriend, whatever. They are always talking about missing home but they got to do what they got to do."

But the biggest quality that stands out to Pineda during his conversations with migrant farm workers is their appreciation for the job they have.

"Most people see those jobs as not a good job. But, to them, it's money which, back home, helps them with their family,” he said.

Volunteers with Unity Hopeful said they hope to see a spike in donations from the public so they can hand out more gift bags for Father's Day 2023.