The Oceana Community Foundation (OCF) is thrilled to promote the start of the 6th Annual Migrant Child Task Force Donation Drive in partnership with Oceana County's Department of Health & Human Services’ (DHHS) migrant outreach staff. This year’s drive welcomes donations of new personal care and hygiene items, bulk cultural foods, baby and child's necessities, school materials, activity books for kids and preteens and other essentials that directly support families through the Task Force’s camp outreach events. The donated items help ensure children and parents have what they need throughout the agricultural season. Every donation goes straight to a local migrant farmworker family, helping to meet immediate needs and bring comfort, dignity and some joy to their time in Oceana County during the agricultural season.
DHHS staff organize Oceana’s farmworker outreach efforts to support migrant families facing resource insecurity. The Task Force estimates that around 42,700 children (ages 0 to 19) travel to Michigan each year as part of seasonal farmworker families. While these families play a vital role in sustaining Oceana’s agricultural economy, many young children and parents arrive with limited essentials and lack access to many basic items once they get here.
“Each year with the arrival of spring flowers and asparagus popping out of the ground, we begin to welcome migrant farmworkers who come to assist our local farmers cultivate and harvest the abundant crops. By sharing this annual wish list, we invite others to show their gratitude for all their hard work to bring food to our tables and beyond. Agriculture is an essential driver of our economy – this community-driven effort invites everyone to invest in the well-being of farmworker families who are essential to West Michigan’s agricultural system,” OCF CEO Tammy Carey said.
Former DHHS staff member Dolores Peters shared how meaningful these donations can be for children. “The children's eyes light up when they see the soccer balls. One young tween stood out to me. What caught my attention was the net he had to play soccer. He was playing with a falling-apart net and an old, trodden soccer ball. I was told he was very talented at school for soccer. When we gave him a new soccer ball, which is of very nice quality, he was beyond elated. It was touching, and I’ll never forget that.”
The OCF is assisting DHHS by collecting high-need items such as toothbrushes, shampoo, diapers, soap and children’s toys, ensuring families have essential supplies while also giving kids access to books, toys and activities that let them simply enjoy being children. Donations also support women in the camps, who often receive few resources. As Peters noted, “Agriculture work is male-dominated in migrant camps. When we come across a group of women and we provide them with hygiene products from this drive, they are so surprised and thankful.”
Community members can donate through an Amazon wish list (https://tinyurl.com/Task-Force...) shared on the OCF’s social media channels and its website, with items shipped directly to the foundation’s P.O. Box. Donations may also be dropped off at the OCF office inside the Pentwater Shelby State Bank side entrance lobby at 388 S. Hancock St. DHHS distributes items during campsite visits throughout the county or directly to clients from their Hart office. Donations will be accepted through June 15, 2026.
For any questions regarding Oceana’s Migrant Child Task Force, please contact Ricardo Solis of the Farmworker Outreach Services Division at solicR1@michigan.gov or Migrant Program Specialist Cindy Santiago at santiagoc@michigan.gov.
