Donations of long-sleeve shirts sought for farmworkers March 24-31

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

In addition to heat exposure in fields across the nation, the US Environmental Protection Agency reports more than 20,000 cases of doctor-diagnosed pesticide poisoning annually, the farmworker association said. The drive is held during Farmworker Awareness Week, which honors farmworkers and brings attention to their contributions.

Long-sleeve shirts need to be new or slightly used, a light color and made of natural fabric.

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 County Service Center, 110 Ala‘ihi St., No. 209, Kahului, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays, 808-270-5777.
• MEO Hāna, 1501 Uakea Road, Hāna, 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 Lānaʻi, 1144 ʻIlima Ave., No. 102, Lānaʻi 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 (Oʻahu), 680 Iwilei Road, Suite 700, Honolulu, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 808-768-5705.

— Kauaʻi 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 suzette.bacarro@meoinc.org or uilani.ahchan@meoinc.org.

Information also can be found on the website www.afop.org/nfaw.