MEO National Farmworker Jobs Program

06/04/2024

Uilani Ah Chan and Suzette Bacarro of Maui Economic Opportunity's National Farmworker Jobs Program greeted attendees of the Maui AgFest & 4-H Livestock Fair on Saturday, June 1, at the War Memorial Complex. Thank you Maui County Farm Bureau for putting on this event!

03/13/2024

Donations of long-sleeve shirts to protect farmworkers from pesticide and heat exposure will be accepted at sites statewide, including Maui Economic Opportunity in Wailuku and the American Job Center in Kahului, from March 24 to 31, as part of the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs (AFOP) annual national drive.

In addition to heat exposure in fields across the nation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports more than 20,000 cases of doctor-diagnosed pesticide poisoning annually, AFOP said. The drive is held during Farmworker Awareness Week, which brings attention to the contributions of farmworkers and honors them.
Shirts need to be new or slightly used, a light color, made of natural fabric and long-sleeved.

In Maui County, drop-off locations include:
- MEO Community Services, 99 Mahalani St., Wailuku, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays, (808) 249-2970.
- American Job Center - Maui, Maui County Service Center, 110 Ala‘ihi St., No. 209, Kahului, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays, (808) 270-5777.
- MEO Hana, 1501 Uakea Road, Hana, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays, (808) 248-8282.
- MEO Moloka‘i, 380 Kolapa Place, Kaunakakai, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays, (808) 553-3216.
- MEO Lana‘i, 1144 Ilima Ave., No. 102, Lana‘i City, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, (808) 565-6665.

Drop-off locations in the other counties:
- American Job Center - Hilo, 88 Kanoelehua Ave., Suite A-204, Hilo, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays, (808) 935-6527.
- American Job Center - Hawaii (Oahu), 680 Iwilei Road, Suite 700, Honolulu, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, (808) 768-5705.
- Kauai Economic Opportunity, 2804 Wehe Road, Lihue, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, (808) 245-4077.

For more information, call MEO National Farmworker Jobs Program specialists Suzette Bacarro or Uilani Ah Chan at (808) 344-5550 or email [email protected] or [email protected].
Information also can be found on the website, www.afop.org/nfaw.

11/30/2023

10/11/2023

Uilani Ah Chan and Suzette Bacarro, MEO National Farmworker Jobs Program specialists, attended the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Program (AFOP) 2023 National Conference, which was held Sept. 26 to 28 in San Diego at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. They received certifications for completing AFOP training and got an opportunity to network with Daniel Sheehan, AFOP executive director; Clevon Young, AFOP president; and Kendra Moesle, director of Workforce Development.

08/17/2023

*Argentinian Consulate to replace passports lost in fire at MEO*

*Mexican Consulate to assist with document replacement until Saturday*

Argentinian Consulate staff will be replacing passports lost in the wildfires at Maui Economic Opportunity in Wailuku on Thursday, Aug. 17, and Friday, Aug. 18.

MEO is located at 99 Mahalani St. On Thursday, Consulate staff will be available from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, contact Carly Ortiz at (808) 243-4354.

The Mexican Consulate continues to assist those who lost their documents in fires at MEO. Staff, who arrived on Maui on Saturday, Aug. 12, will be helping residents – impacted by the fires only – from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday, Aug. 19.

08/05/2023

Sunday, August 6, is National Farmworker Appreciation Day. Farmworkers plant, fertilize, nuture and harvest the food we eat.

07/20/2023

Our National Farmworker Jobs Program team of Ui Ah Chan and Suzette Bacarro (shown) visited Kauai Nursery on July 12 and 13 to offer Worker Protection Standards, Pesticide Safety and Heat Stress Prevention trainings. About 80 workers received training at the nursery, which coincided with Heat Stress Prevention Week.

07/11/2023

Carly Ortiz, Vanna Duarte and Ui Ah Chan from MEO Community Services are on the west side at the Lahaina Civic Center until noon today, Tuesday, as part of MEO's new outreach program.

Information and access to all MEO's programs are available. For example, Carly is with Enlace Hispano, Ui with the National Farmworker Jobs Program and Vanna with rental housing support.

MEO staff sets up shop at the Lahaina Civic Center the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.

06/09/2023

*Suzette Bacarro named MEO Employee of the Month*

Suzette Bacarro, who assists farmworkers and farms to improve lives and working conditions, was named Maui Economic Opportunity Employee of the Month.

She is a caseworker with the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP), MEO’s only statewide program. MEO has been involved in national farmworker organizations since the early 1990s when the nonprofit assisted immigrant farmworkers recruited to work in the pineapple fields on Maui.

Her nominator, Uilani Ah Chan, said that her co-worker is resourceful and creative and is always looking for ways to improve program outcomes and to be economical. She has a strict work ethic and always meets deadlines with proper documentation, which is critical when running a federally funded program.

Suzette joined NFJP in September 2019 and has traveled the state. The program provides education and training, such as for GED high school equivalency diplomas and commercial driver’s licenses; supportive services, including child care, transportation, work tools and clothing; job training; and employment for farmworkers.

NFJP also offers training and certifications at no cost to farms. This includes first aid and CPR training, heat and pesticide certifications and partial coverage of the cost of on-the-job training.

For being named Employee of the Month for March, Suzette earned a $150 check and an extra vacation day. She was honored at MEO’s General Staff meeting April 21. Uilani received $50 as the nominator.

05/19/2023

MEO's National Farmworker Jobs Program has joined the National Farmworker Women's Health Week this week. The Week throws a spotlight on the health risks female farmworkers face.
MEO's NFJP offers training programs for workers and businesses without cost, including first aid and CPR training and heat and pesticide certifications for farms. The program also partially covers the cost of on-the-job training.
MEO's NFJP has a statewide reach. For more information, contact NFJP case managers Suzette Bacarro at (808) 243-4369 or [email protected], or Uilani Ah Chan at (808) 243-4370 or [email protected].