#MASKS4FARMWORKERS

Our team at Whitley Law Firm is passionate about helping our community and want to do our best to keep people safe during this pandemic. One of the best ways to ensure people’s health and decrease the spread of COVID-19 is by wearing a face mask. Research shows that wearing a mask can protect you and others around you from contracting the virus.

Wake County authorities found that about 46% of COVID cases in the state are of those who identify as Hispanic or Latino, which is about 10% of the overall population. The rate of hospitalization for this demographic is about 4 times more likely than the non-Hispanic white population.

When we learned of these statistics we felt called to do what we could to protect those putting their wellbeing on the line, ensuring families have access to food. Agricultural workers are at particular risk due to their close proximity working conditions and respiratory stress that is accompanied by dust on a farm.

In response to this, our team at Whitley Law Firm wanted to help to provide masks to these essential workers. After reaching out to the Wake County Commissioner, we found the #MASKS4FARMWORKERS campaign.

#MASKS4FARMWORKERS is a national campaign founded by the Justice for Migrant Women and is supported by more than a dozen local organizations, like Whitley Law Firm. These organizations have distributed thousands of reusable fabric masks made by volunteers and donated materials for farmworkers, the Latinx Community, and others in North Carolina. We have been letting organizers use our office as a base to organize and distribute masks to people in need.

If you wish to learn more about this campaign or be involved in this effort with us, please donate to #MASK4FARMWORKERS here.