The Migrant Education Program of Southside School held a health fair on June 28 for families of low-income and migrant status throughout the county. At the Migrant Housing Center on Southside Road, children and adults had the opportunity to get dental, vision, and hearing screenings provided by Foothill Community Health Center out of Santa Clara County.Â
Begun five years ago, the event helps to provide services to those who don’t have the funds for basic medical care.Â
Tami Erickson, who helped Paula Bonilla coordinate some of the funding for the fair, said it’s a great community event “because all the benefits go towards the kids in the migrant community. We throw this event to try to make a celebration of health and we got a lot of donors who gift free books, free educational materials, free medical advise. I think it’s a great educational experience for the parents of these young migrant kids. Showing them there are a lot of services that can help them and their children.”
Organizations that help low-income and migrant families attended the event including: Champions for Change, First 5 San Benito, Salvation Army and the Agricultural Relations Board. Â
Families had the opportunity to receive a car seat and helmet at a low cost or not cost and they were able to take home a bag full of vegetables. The Migrant Program also held a raffle in which children could win backpacks, schools supplies and gift cards.
Bonilla hopes to continue the event next year adding, “esperamos que el año que entre sea más y que más gente venga y nos ayude y nos apoye monetariamente. (“We hope that next year it’s bigger and more people come, help us, and support us monetarily.”)