CSBC News Flash - Citrus Freeze Relief

Hunger and disaster relief funds aid farm laborers

World hunger and disaster relief funds have been issued to 11 California Southern Baptist congregations in the Central Valley to reach out to jobless farm laborers hardest hit by the recent crop freeze.

California Southern Baptist Convention in partnership with the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention has provided $20,000 to help farm labor families with food, clothes, rent, utility bills and more.

Charles McClung, CSBC ministry evangelism specialists, said the funds will help "more than 900 families in Fresno, Tulare and Kern Counties." He said the funds were distributed to churches in Arvin, Farmersville, Fresno, Ivanhoe, Lamont, Orange Cove, Reedley, Sanger, Selma, Tulare and Visalia.

As much as three-quarters of the state’s citrus crop withered in the field during the four-day cold snap in January that caused about $1 billion in damage. It was the worst freeze in almost a decade in the Golden State which is the nation’s No. 1 producer of fresh citrus, growing about 86 percent of lemons and 21 percent of oranges sold in the U.S., according to the California Farm Bureau. Florida produces more citrus overall, mostly for use in orange juice, according to the USDA.

McClung said one of the groups hit hardest by the freeze is farm laborers who pick or pack the citrus and now find themselves "without jobs to provide basic needs for their families. Our prayer is that the Lord will guide the efforts of the churches as they show the love of Christ in practical ways."

He also thanked Southern Baptists for their gifts to world hunger and disaster relief "which make the response to this tremendous need possible."

NOTE: Three Mid-Valley churches requested and received funds to minister to families in need due to the freeze; Annadale Baptist Church, Cruising for Jesus, and FSBC Selma.