VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) - Valdosta State University’s College Assistance Migrant Program on Monday will kick off a Long-Sleeved Shirt Drive.
The national effort is to collect long-sleeved shirts to help protect farmworkers from pesticide exposure and heat-related stress.
The drive begins at the start of National Farmworker Awareness Week March 25-31.
"Pesticide exposure is one of the many dangers to agricultural farmworkers," said Alma Young, director of CAMP at VSU. "While pesticides are needed to grow and protect the crops, for those who work in the fields, they can produce many immediate health effects."
Those health effects include nausea, vomiting and rash as well as longterm effects such as Alzheimer’s and cancer. Additionally, farmworkers experience heat-related illnesses, such as sunburn, heat exhaustion or heat stroke due to wearing improper clothing.
"One way farmworkers can protect themselves is to cover all skin areas while working," Young said. "Ideally, they should wear clean, cotton, long-sleeved shirts that are light colored. However, access to affordable clothing and washing machines is often a limitation for many farmworkers."
“CAMP is working with local farmworkers to educate them on the issue, as well as provide them with donated shirts.”
Shirts may be dropped off at VSU’s West Hall, Student Union, Health Sciences and Business Administration Building, Student Recreation Center, Odum Library, Hugh C. Bailey Science Center, Nevins Hall and Education Center until Thursday, April 26.
