Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation
2017 Annual Report
To support and promote Napa Valley’s vineyard workers through education
and professional development
“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” The
Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation, created by the Napa Valley Grapegrowers in 2011, is the first of its
kind in the United States doing just that. It was founded on the principle that education is key to success: it is
limitless; provides a high return on investment; and once attained, can never be taken away.
The Farmworker Foundation provided high-quality professional development and educational
opportunities to over 2,800 farmworkers and their families last year. We believe that by investing in the
individual, we’re giving students the tools they need for their own professional growth and personal success.
This, in turn, develops future leaders and role models, as they matriculate and begin to
teach others.
In just 6 short years, we’ve increased the number of students the Foundation reaches
by 585% and grown the hours of education offered by 2,338%. The Foundation has
provided opportunity to those who otherwise wouldn’t have it – and the feedback we’ve
received from our students demonstrates that we are not only changing their lives, but
we are also having a hugely profound impact on their families as we begin to provide
classes that focus on the entire person and their family. Students are interested in not
only increasing their skill set in their careers, but have also asked us to expand our
programs to include courses on family, navigating the American school system, financial
planning, parenting, leadership, advanced English literacy courses, basic math, health &
nutrition, and much more.
Of course, none of this would be possible without the passion and commitment of
our grower community, as well as the many generous friends who raise a paddle at our
annual fundraiser, Harvest STOMP. So, to the many donors, volunteers, employers and
employees who embrace the vision of advancement, inclusivity, and opportunity – we
want to say, thank you.
The foundation of this community was built upon the spirit of collaboration and
innovation, and we believe that the future of all Napa County residents is bright if we
can work together to create a stronger community for all.
In gratitude,
Steve Moulds President, Napa Valley Farmworker Foundation
Owner, Moulds Family Vineyard
ROBERTO JUAREZ, STEVE MOULDS AND BETSY MOULDS
Letter from the President
2017 Year in Review
RAISED TO SUPPORT FARMWORKER EDUCATION
VINEYARD WORKERS REACHED
• Farmworker driven programs — one of the unique things about this foundation is that we receive feed-back and input through attendee evaluations and incorporate those topics into our programs. The infor-mation has expanded beyond the scope of viticulture to include finan-cial planning, health & nutrition, fatherhood issues, communication & leadership skills, and more.
• Commitment to supporting research, development and innovation directed at addressing the needs of farmworkers and their families. The FWF has decided to annually invest in Research + Development to ensure the organization remains at the leading edge of program development
to increase and enhance our impact. We actively create, test and launch new pilot programs that provide continued education and professional development to the Napa Valley farmworker community.
• Successful launch of our 8-week Summer Mentor Program. Fields of Opportunity is an innovative pro-gram connecting local high school students interested in the wine industry, to a paid summer intern-ship. Students had the opportunity to learn various aspects of the vineyard business. Topics included: viticulture, vineyard operations, mechanics, safety and HR, winery and cellar work, and more.
HOURS OF EDUCATION
“Winning the first prize was very surprising, but I was very happy and proud of myself and how far I have come. My dreams for the future are to keep striving and making a good effort to keep getting better at what I do and hopefully get higher in my company. But most of all, to keep
expanding my knowledge of the vineyard.”GABRIELA SOLANO CASTILLO, RUDD OAKVILLE ESTATE, 1ST PLACE WINNER,
16TH ANNUAL NAPA COUNTY PRUNING CONTEST – WOMEN’S DIVISION
ENGLISH LITERACY PROGRAMJANUARY 17–APRIL 6 78 ATTENDEESThe 2017 English Literacy Program included five 12-week courses taught by certified instructors. Sessions included Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced levels taught at Napa Valley College, Upper Valley Campus and Napa Valley Adult Education. Curriculum was designed specifically for Napa County farmworkers to assist them with their English literacy and communication skills.
NAPA COUNTY PRUNING CONTEST FEBRUARY 4 101 ATTENDEESThe 16th Annual Napa County Pruning Contest showcased the industry’s best vineyard workers in a competition highlighting the art, skill, and speed of pruning Napa Valley vineyards.
TRAIN-THE-TRAINER COURSE: TRACTORFEBRUARY 15–16 43 ATTENDEESThe Tractor Train-the-Trainer Course provided participants with the informa-tion needed for understanding the rules and regulations of tractor operations and how to successfully conduct safety training sessions for other staff.
TRAIN-THE-TRAINER COURSE: ATVFEBRUARY 17 30 ATTENDEESThe ATV Train-the-Trainer Course provided participants with the informa-tion needed for understanding the rules and regulations of ATV operations and how to successfully conduct safety train-ing sessions for other staff.
FARMWORKER EDUCATION WORKSHOPFEBRUARY 23–24 62 ATTENDEESThe two-day comprehensive program included sessions on building a career in the wine industry, benefits of immigration and citizen information, developing leadership and management skills for culturally diverse crews, viticultural best practices for wet seasons and more.
BEST PRACTICES FOR AG BURNINGMARCH 10 15 ATTENDEESAttendees learned about best practices for low-smoke agricultural burning, the importance of preserving air quality, and proper burning methods to reduce smoke pollution.
TRAIN-THE-TRAINER COURSE: FORKLIFT MARCH 16 20 ATTENDEESThis course provided participants with the information needed for understanding the rules and regulations of forklift operations and how to successfully conduct safety training sessions for other sta.
FARMWORKER FIELD DAYAPRIL 7 20 ATTENDEESThis two-hour field day focused on the fundamentals of designing and farming a vineyard to achieve quality and production goals. The comprehensive vineyard tour included discussions on trellis systems, cover crops, irrigation strategies, pest management, and more.
NAVIGATING THE U.S. SCHOOL SYSTEMAPRIL 21, DECEMBER 2 31 ATTENDEESHeld in partnership with Napa Unied School District, this program provided parents with the knowledge, skills, and condence to become a bigger participant in the academic success of their children.
FIELDS OF OPPORTUNITY: SUMMER MENTOR PROGRAMJUNE 12–AUGUST 4 16 STUDENTSIn partnership with the Napa Unied School District, NVG grower and vine-yard manager members provide summer intern/mentor work-study opportunities for High School students interested in a career path in the wine industry.
DÍA DE LA FAMILIA JULY 30 2,200 ATTENDEESThe sixth annual Día de la Familia brought together more than 2,200 families and almost 60 community organizations and educational institutions for a day lled with food, music, education, and family activities.
LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT: BEST PRACTICES PROGRAMNOVEMBER 8 160 ATTENDEESThe leadership and management train-ing program, for both fieldworkers and managers/supervisors, featured topics such as communication skills, working in a multi-generational team environ-ment, effective safety training, and tips for economic success.
ENGLISH LITERACY INTENSIVE COURSE DECEMBER 5–14 20 ATTENDEESA two-week intensive English Literacy course for returning students was offered for Beginning and Intermediate level students. Instructors reviewed previously taught materials to prepare students for the 2018 program.
MATH INTENSIVE COURSEDECEMBER 5–14 20 ATTENDEESA two-week intensive Math course was offered with curriculum designed spe-cifically for Napa County farmworkers to assist them in developing their math skills for the workplace.
2017 Educational Programs
“The English classes were beneficial and the opportunity to learn English was good both personally and for my job. I see a better future for myself being able to communicate in English and I learned a lot throughout the four-month course. I am looking forward to continuing
on in the more advanced classes next year.”MANUEL OCHOA, SILVERADO FARMING COMPANY
A BEGINNING LEVEL ENGLISH LITERACY PROGRAM GRADUATE
FARMWORKERS HOURS OF REVENUE EDUCATED EDUCATION RAISED
411 20 $120,800
2,816 487 $1,142,785
GROWTH 585% 2,338% 846%
15,190 1,870 $3,749,759
• Expand Fields of Opportunity — Summer Mentor Program to Up Valley School Districts
• Redevelop the Farmworker Education Workshop to a Leadership, Management and Safety 2-Day Workshop in November
• Work with the Napa Valley College to create specific certificate programs designed to increase the skill set of farmworkers and their families in a variety of job-related areas
• Expand our English Literacy Program to be a more comprehensive Farmworker Literacy Program that will include Spanish literacy, English literacy, Math literacy and computers, technology and business skills
• Develop strategic marketing & communications plan to continue to tell our story to the industry, community and public-at-large
• Launch of bilingual Farmworker Foundation website
• Continue to develop industry and community relationships to expand our reach and impact to more farmworkers and their families
Goals and Initiatives for 2018 Farmworker Foundation Impact
BOARD OF DIRECTORSSteve Moulds, President Moulds Family Vineyard
Paul Goldberg, Vice President Bettinelli Vineyards
Oscar Renteria Renteria Vineyard Management
Pete Richmond Silverado Farming Company
Arnulfo Solorio Silverado Farming Company
Mike Wolf Michael Wolf Vineyard Services
EDUCATION COMMITTEEArnulfo Solorio, Chair Silverado Farming Company
Daniela Bazan Bazan Vineyard Management
Juan Cardenas Nord Vineyards
Jose Chang Napa County Agriculture
Commissioner’s Office
Dr. Monica L. Cooper UC Viticulture Advisor, Napa County
Enrique Herrero Inglenook
Enrique Lopez Servin-Lopez Vineyard Management
Icela Martin Agricultura Safety
Julie Nord Nord Vineyards
Rolando Sanchez Walsh Vineyards Management
1795 Third Street, Napa, CA 94558(707) 944-8311www.farmworkerfoundation.orginfo@farmworkerfoundation.org