For Immediate Release s368

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For information contact: Barbara Mainster, RCMA, (239) 658-3560 Lisa Lochridge, FFVA, (321) 214-5200

GROWER ORGANIZATION DONATES $25,000 TO MIGRANT ASSOCIATION Gift to RCMA will sponsor 100 children for one year

IMMOKALEE, FL – Dec. 7, 2006 -- The Redlands Christian Migrant Association, which provides child care and early education for more than 7,000 children of migrant farm workers and rural, low-income families, has received a $25,000 gift from the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Research & Education Foundation. “The significant gift will sponsor 100 children for the entire school year,” said Barbara Mainster, RCMA executive director. “Support of this magnitude is truly a blessing for our children and their families.” Florida agriculture was among the earliest supporters of RCMA, which was established in 1965 in the Redlands farming area of southern Miami- Dade County to provide safe, nurturing surroundings for children while their parents worked in the fields. To this day, Florida agribusiness is represented on the RCMA Board of Directors, including FFVA President Mike Stuart and former FFVA President George Sorn. “Growers also support RCMA by providing land and buildings for our child care centers,” Mainster said. “RCMA’s founders knew that growers and farm workers have much in common. For example, both are deeply concerned about their families, and neither farmer nor farm worker wants children in the fields in lieu of proper child care and learning.” From three initial centers in the Homestead / Florida City area, RCMA today operates more than 70 centers, including two charter schools, in rural Florida. In the 2005-06 season, RCMA served 7,544 children in 20 Florida counties. Based in Immokalee, RCMA is funded by local, state and federal grants, as well as the generosity of businesses, individuals, the United Way and other organizations. RCMA relies heavily on charitable contributions to draw down government grants and can generate $16 for every $1 donated. FFVA, based in Maitland, is an agricultural trade organization representing Florida's producers of fruits, vegetables and other crops. For more information, see www.rcma.org and www.ffva.com.

# # # Caption information: Children at the RCMA’s Rollason Preschool in Immokalee, from left: Stephanie Trujillo, Sandra Matias, Julissa Rojo, Gracely Ramirez. (Photo shot Sept. 6, 2006)