New England Farm Workers' Council

Farm Worker Employment Program

Sonia Berte
(413) 536 - 5403 Ext. 204
(413) 536 - 5405 Fax

Who to contact:

Connecticut:
Vivian Torres
New England Farm Workers' Council
490 Ann Street
Hartford, CT 06114
(860) 293 - 2552
(860) 293 - 2556 Fax

Massachusetts:
Jennifer Reyes
New England Farm Workers' Council
225 High Street
Holyoke, MA 01040
(413) 536 - 5403
(413) 535 - 1210 Fax

New Hampshire:

New England Farm Workers' Council
50 Bridge Street -- Suite 103
Manchester, NH 03103
(603) 622-8199
(603) 622-8230 Fax

If you have worked on a farm during the last two years -- you may be eligible for:

Employment services -- see Job-Ready Referrals Program information below
Educational training
Vocational training
Training-related services
Referrals to other community services
A program for youth (ages 14-21) who are farm workers or dependents of farm workers.
These services include:
Counseling
Tutoring
Life Skills workshops
Educational programs
Emergency support services
Mentorship
Assessment and planning for your future

For residents of Holyoke, we offer:

Hispanic Employment services
Referrals
Adult Basic Education
English as a Second Language

If you receive TAFDC benefits from the Department of Transitional Assistance, we can offer:

ESL/Workplace Skills class
Adult Basic Education class
Daycare Vouchers

Que Servicios Ofrecemos?

El Consejo de Trabajadores de Finca de Nueva Inglaterra ofrece varios programas para los cuales usted puede ser elegible:

Servicios de Empleo
Entrenamientos Educacional y Vocacional
Servicios de Apoyos
Referidos a servicios apropiados

Adicionalmente, tenemos un nuevo programa para jóvenes (edades de 14 a 21 años) los cuales hayan trabajado en la finca o sean dependientes de trabajadores de finca. Le ofrecemos los siguientes servicios:

Conserjería
Tutoría
Talleres para destrezas de vida
Programas de Educación
Servicios de Apoyo/ Emergencias
Accesoria y Planificación para el futuro

A los residentes de Holyoke - le ofrecemos:

Servicios de empleo
Referidos a servicios apropiados
Clases de Educación Básica
Clases de Ingles

Si usted recibe Asistencia Transicional, le ofrecemos:

Clases de ingles como segundo idioma
Clases de Educación Básica
Vales para el cuidado de niños

Si estas interesado en obtener mas información, por favor llame al 322-0200 o pase por nuestra oficina. Estamos disponibles de Lunes a Viernes desde las 8:30 am hasta las 4:30 pm.

Back to Top

______________________________________________________________________________

NEFWC/New England Farm Workers' Council
Job-Ready Referrals

It's about time, dependability and staffing value for employers

Meet New England Farm Workers' Council

Founded in 1971, New England Farm Workers' Council (NEFWC) is a non-profit, social service agency committed to helping farm workers and their families achieve greater economic independence. NEFWC assists its clients with employment counseling, job search and placement, classroom instruction and on-the-job training with area employers.

Farm Worker employment programs in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island introduce qualified applicants to year-round alternative vocations -- taking advantage of clients' strong work ethic and helping them learn new skills.

Non-agricultural employment is offered to men and women who have performed farming work during the last two years and meet US Department of Labor low-income standards.

Personal and family support services, such as housing, day care, transportation and household management assistance, are also offered.

It's About Time

Unlike many commercial employment agencies that seem to put their profits ahead of your hiring needs, NEFWC is non-profit and places your interests and the well-being of its farm worker clients first. NEFWC job-ready referrals want to work and show up on time, ready to work.

Having spent time in grueling agricultural jobs -- work that simply couldn't support their quest for better lives and livelihoods -- farm workers are more motivated than most other job seekers.

It's About Dependability

You expect dependable performance from each employee you hire. You should also expect it from your temporary or permanent staffing partner.

For more than three decades, NEFWC's bi-lingual employment case managers have been assisting hundreds of western New England employers locate, hire and train qualified and promising entry-level employees. A large number of job-ready referrals get recognized and promoted for superior performance. Many NEFWC employer clients come back again and again for new referrals.

And because we've been successful helping farm workers improve the quality of their lives for over 30 years, it's no wonder former agricultural workers keep turning to NEFWC for new skills and career options.

Gain satisfaction in knowing your company is among those helping to improve the lives of an historically under-represented population.

It's About Staffing Value

Here's what you can look forward to when you choose New England Farm Workers' Council for staffing:

Qualified job referrals with a strong work ethic and personal drive drive to succeed.

Opportunity to hire employees through an on-the-Job training program where
NEFWC pays 50 percent of salary during training.

Seasoned, reliable workers ready to give you a day's hard work in exchange for fair pay and benefits.

Full-time support from staffing specialists who understand your business and want you to be satisfied.

Prospective job referrals who go through a rigorous screening process before they are referred for interviews.

Successful new hires who receive on-going case management for six months after they are on the job.

Quick replacement for any of your staff turnover needs.

Eligibility for a federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit may be available for each job-ready referral you hire from NEFWC and retain for at least six months.

Job-Ready Referrals Success Stories--

Gold Star Cleaning Service
Springfield MA

"These people want to work. They've worked hard before, so I know they're not afraid."
--Gilbert Roy, Owner/President

The chief executive of Gold Star Cleaning, a large industrial/office janitorial services company,looks for reliability and a strong work ethic in the people he hires for his 75+ job sites. After several positive experiences with referrals from New England Farm Workers' Council, he knew he had found a winner. He can't always say that about other employment agencies with whom he has worked.

"As a group, they're as reliable and hard-working as any available to me, Gil Roy says about NEFWC. I could use many more employees just like them."

To mention only two, NEFWC referrals Juanita Ortiz and Carmen De Jesus arrive every day ready to work as janitors and have already earned significant raises after only six months at Gold Star.

Gil looks forward to having a steady stream of new hiring prospects from NEFWC and strongly endorses the program for other western New England employers looking for dependable workers.

C&S Wholesalers
Windsor Locks, CT

"Elizabeth is our little bundle of energy --
she's everybody's favorite around here..."
--Joan Case, Human Resources Manager

C&S Wholesalers, a major east coast supplier of groceries to leading supermarket chains, has a strong policy of hiring minorities and promoting from within. NEFWC job-ready referral, Elizabeth Carrasquillo, is a C&S success story in the making.

Windsor Locks facility HR Manager, Joan Case, who oversees hiring and job performance of over 700 local C&S employees, thinks highly of the employment/social services program that brought Elizabeth to her. As one of only three shipping clerks working the day shift, Liz is highly focused on her diverse duties and is rapidly developing computer and telephone skills as she continues to advance in a fast-paced work environment.

NEFWC's Hartford office employment specialists keep in close touch with Elizabeth and C&S, visiting Joan and her staff regularly to provide post-placement support services whenever needed.

Holiday Inn Express
East Windsor, CT

"I like to think we're opening doors to opportunity
for these folks."

--Maritza Orta, Executive Housekeeper

New England Farm Workers' Council CT employment specialists work hard to earn the trust and confidence of the Greater Hartford employers they serve. Holiday Inn in nearby East Windsor is a prime example.

The hotel's Executive Housekeeper, Maritza Orta, describes the excellent relationship she enjoys with the agency -- working together as a team to help farm worker clients find secure, year-round employment.

Numerous NEFWC job-ready referrals have worked as housekeepers under Maritza's supervision and coaching, earning competitive wages and receiving full-time benefits unheard of in seasonal farm work.

Maritza values the ongoing communications, personal visits and follow-up support her friends at NEFWC provide job referrals to Holiday Inn Express months after the hiring has occurred.

Perfect Fit
Suncook, NH

"They haven't missed a day since we hired them."
--Rosemary Gelinas, Human Resources Manager

"Perfect Fit" seems to be an apt way to describe this workplace for two New England Farm Workers' Council job-ready referrals, Sari and Meizah Meskin.
Dependability, flexibility and punctuality are three more words Human Resources uses when talking about these recent arrivals from the Middle East to this southern New Hampshire textile manufacturer. Based on early job performance, both Meskins have recently qualified for full company benefits and salary increases.

Perfect Fit's traditional work environment, both in New England and at four other textile mills in the South, is conducive to hiring and training motivated New Americans like Sari and Meizah. More than half of the firm's local workforce has first-generation international roots and all benefit from a variety of innovative employee accommodations, like free transportation to and from work for those who need it, to help ease the transition to a new home and place to work. The company continues to look for new workers to meet expanding demand for its products.

School Transition and
Employment Project
Holyoke, MA

Many employers with farm workers on staff discover an extra -- and not unexpected -- degree of value-added benefit when they hire.

Keith Arnett, School Transition and Employment Project site coordinator, has supervised former farm worker Joel Ramon since Joel gave up agriculture several years ago. Keith has watched Joel develop new skills and evolve into something more than a skilled craftsman who can build furniture for the retail trade.

Joel's maturity, pride in his work and steady work ethic show through and help set a positive example the younger workers tend to follow. Management can preach all it wants, Keith says, but Joel seems to make the point just by being who he is.

Adds Keith: "I'll take employees like this any day!"

"It's twice as nice having an employee who's not only a good worker,
but an effective role model, too."

--Keith Arnett
Site Coordinator

Final thoughts

We think when you finally find the right people to staff your most important entry-level positions, you'll agree that it really is about time, dependability and staffing value.

So when you're considering options for your next employment staffing partner, think of New England Farm Workers' Council and insist on job-ready referrals.

We'll handle the rest.

Back to start of program