GAINESVILLE, Fla. — You can help Florida farmers with disabilities by donating during the annual Amazing Give Charity Event, on April 20 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
This year, the Gainesville-based Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida (CILNCF) is raising funds for the Florida AgrAbility Project, a new collaboration between the University of Florida and CILNCF.
(Serap Gorucu, UF/IFAS)
All proceeds will be used to provide technology and service for farmers with disabilities.
AgrAbility aims to serve farmers with all types of disabilities to ensure they secure, maintain and sustain meaningful work in agriculture by offering worksite and home-based visits to provide assistive technology recommendations. Those affiliated with the project also provide assistive technology recommendations, worksite and farm-task modifications, and they identify resources and services that can aid their independence.
To learn more about AgrAbility, go to the UF/IFAS AgrAbility website.
Farmers and others who work in agriculture are more likely to have a disability than the general population due to the hazardous conditions of their profession.
It is estimated that nearly a third to half of the farmers have a disability compared to a quarter of people in the general population. Farmers with physical disabilities cannot work in agriculture.
Many farmers with physical disabilities need adaptive equipment to keep working; however, they often cannot afford this equipment. Farmers experience high rates of mental health issues and have six times the rate of suicides compared to the general population.
Unfortunately, farmers rarely seek out mental health services and often do not have access to these services if they do wish to utilize them.
Donations can be made online at https://www.theamazinggive.org/organizations/center-for-independent-living-of-north-central-florida
–Serap Gorucu, UF/IFAS