Milestone Accomplishment: 40 Years & 500,000 Served

On Friday, April 29th, California Human Development celebrated a milestone accomplishment—40 years of Farmworker Services and Workforce Development in Northern California. Supporters and partners from every sector gathered in Stockton to mark the occasion and to savor, truly relish and enjoy, in the power of what people can do together when they join hands and set their minds to the task.

Consider this fact to realize how big the milestone is:  500,000—yes, half-a-million—lives touched!

And what does this accomplishment look like? It looks like Lizbeth Tania Padilla Gonzalez who arrived in San Joaquin County to harvest alfalfa, bringing with her two young daughters, a third grade education, and a dream. Today, after graduating from CHD’s training program, Lizbeth is living her dream and more. She’s now a construction apprentice with the Laborer’s Union International—making double the pay and growing!

Of course, Lizbeth’s story is just one of many. With so many people served, there are far too many faces and stories to recall. So on Friday, CHD and over 200 of its many supporters raised a toast to them all! From founding father to federal government agent to field hand, we celebrated our successful efforts to include California’s migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the American Dream. And, we re-energized together for the next 40 years and beyond—for there is still plenty of work to be done.