Hello friends & family! 

I'm inviting you to participate in my campaign to raise $1,000 for Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF), a non-profit organization I believe in and trust. SAF has been working for over two decades to improve the lives of some of our nation's most marginalized and overlooked workers -- those who toil in the fields to put food on our tables. SAF brings together farmworkers and young people to improve workers' conditions and to build solidarilty to work towards social change. I know from experience that many young people who work with SAF as students find themselves transformed and dedicated to this type of work in their personal and professional lives.

Being an intern with SAF in 2002 exposed me to a side of North Carolina that I had never seen before. Since that time, I have sought out opportunities to address farmworker issues - whether it was researching pesticide exposure in WA State or Nicaragua or joining candlelight vigils for workers fighting for a living wage. Why am I fundraising for SAF now? Well, this fall I joined the SAF Board of Directors, so I am supporting it with my time, money, and by encouraging you to be a part of making working conditions better for farmworkers. This is my first time ever making a fundraising request like this, and it's a little uncomfortable, but I hope you'll help me see it through!

Click here to Donate Now!

Need a good reason to donate to SAF? They help make real change happen... read on!

Twelve years ago, I was a well-intentioned college student with plenty of community service under my belt, but scant experience advocating for social change. That summer I found myself protesting at a Taco Bell in Asheville, NC in hopes that patrons would boycott their favorite chihauhau-endorsed fast food joint so its corporate owner would pay just one penny more per pound of tomatoes -- doubling the wages of the farmworkers that picked them. I was shy and too ebarrassed to march around with a sign, so I opted to greet hungry people in the driveway and explain the reason for the protest instead. I was appalled by some of the racist, bigoted responses from some people and realized what an uphill battle the workers had ahead of them. With a healthy dose of determination, the campaign has thrived in the years since then. 

Now, because of farmworker persistence, student activism, and solidarity across the US, the farmworkers in whose name we were protesting have not just secured the penny-per-pound promise from Taco Bell, they have signed Fair Food Agreements with the likes of Walmart, Subway, Whole Foods, McDonalds and more. These agreements guarantee a living wage and humane working standards, including an environment in which women workers now stand up confidently against abuse and the growers are held accountable for their actions. This is just one example of how SAF's work helps create a more just world and connects young people to causes that matter. I wouldn't have known about this movement - or been part of it - without my connection to SAF. 

My goal is to raise at least $1000 to support SAF's work. My campaign is just 5 days -- it begins Monday, December 8 and ends Friday, December 12. Don't miss your chance! Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to support their work. 

Ready to donate now?

Sincerely,
Coby