A Season of Celebration:The SWMMRC Christmas Basket Event

The Southwestern Michigan Migrant Resource Council (SMMRC) celebrated its 25th Annual Christmas Basket event for migrant and seasonal farmworker families.  Our Migrant Resource Council serves farmworker families who are so vital to the agricultural process in Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren Counties.   This year the Council served 275 families and offered a time of celebration, connection, and community support at the Van Buren Intermediate School District Conference Center.   

Celebrating Together

While the MRC provides food and hygiene supplies to referred families, the true heart of this event was the celebration of the season.  Event supporters created a space in which farmworker families could enjoy special treats and participate in holiday traditions together.

The atmosphere inside the Conference Center was full of joy and the spirit of Christmas:

• A Visit from Santa: The highlight for many was seeing Santa Claus! Children’s faces lit up as families gathered for free photos to commemorate the day.
• Holiday Treats: Families sat down together to enjoy hot chocolate with fresh donuts or cookies.
• Children’s Crafts: Enthusiastic volunteers from MSU Extension, Van Buren Tech, Hartford teachers, and Bangor and Hartford Pageant Royalty helped children get creative with holiday-themed crafts and decorating cookies.  
• Health & Information: InterCare, Inc. provided essential health services, including flu shots and blood pressure checks, while various agencies shared books and helpful resources with both adults and children.

Supporting Parents as Providers

The goal of the MRC is to help seasonal farmworkers and their families with basic needs and maybe help Santa bring a bit more joy to children in the family.   

• Toys for the Home: Parents received black bags with surprises especially selected for the children in the family and which parents could add to their own family gifts and traditions for Christmas. 
• Food & Hygiene Supplements: Thanks to donations from Burnette’s, the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency, we were able to provide basic food staples. Families also received hygiene items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and soap.  New this year was a Rice and Beans drive collected by local libraries and businesses.  Thanks to an angel named “Sonny,” and everyone else who supported this campaign, over 700 pounds of beans and 700 pounds of rice were donated for distribution to families in this event.   

A Community Effort

This event was a massive undertaking for a group that operates on donations and does not receive state nor federal grants.  The Christmas Basket event is not possible without the participation of Southwestern Michigan Migrant Resource Council members, partners, supporters and volunteers.

We owe a debt of gratitude to:

• Our Core Supporters and Volunteers: Sturgis Bank, MDHHS Farmworker Outreach, MSU Extension, United Farmworker Foundation, Michigan Labor & Economic Opportunity, and the Van Buren County Friend of the Court.
• Local Leaders and Volunteers: Abel Munoz, Jr., Jose Pedro Galaviz, Stephanie Hallgren, Pedro Villa, and the Berrien Immigration Solidarity Network.
• Education Partners: VBISD Multilingual Program staff, teachers from various schools, and the VBISD Great Start Parent Coalition.
• The “Sparkle” of the Day: A huge thank you to the Court Royalty from the Bangor and Hartford Pageant Organizations. Wearing their crowns and sashes, they brought a wonderful energy to the event, helping with everything from children’s crafts to loading cars in the distribution line.

The SMMRC is proud to support our migrant and seasonal farmworker families. This event wasn’t just about what is given to families, it was also about acknowledging the hard work of these families and celebrating together as one community.   The SWMMRC thanks all of the volunteers and the VBISD for making this celebration possible despite the snowy weather!