Community Info Sheet
Eastern Shore, VA Total Population (2010): 45,553 Accomack County: 33,164 North Hampton County: 12,389 Parksley, VA: 842 (Northampton and Accomack Counties comprise the Eastern Shore of Virginia.)
Things Eastern Shore is known for: Chincoteague Island & Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, The Chesapeake Bay, The Annual Wild Pony Round Up, NASA Wallops Flight Facility of the Eastern Shore, Tyson & Purdue Chicken Processing Plants, The Crabbing and Fishing Industry
Eastern Shore Overview: The Eastern Shore of Virginia offers a historic setting, serene lifestyle, and abundant outdoor recreation. It is a 70-mile-long stretch of shoreline at the southern end of the Delmarva Peninsula. It is comprised of two counties – Accomack and North Hampton – and is bordered by the Chesapeake Bay to the West, the Atlantic Ocean to the East, and Maryland to the North. It is accessible to mainland Virginia by the 23-mile-long Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Prior to its completion in 1964, mainland Virginia was only accessible by ferry, or by lengthy commute through Maryland and Washington D.C.
Despite being largely isolated from mainland Virginia, the Eastern Shore has a robust agricultural The Delmarva Peninsula The Eastern Shore of Virginia economy. Crabbing and fishing industries share the coastline, while large-scale produce and chicken farms utilize much of the peninsula itself. Tyson and Accomack County Census 2010 Stats* Perdue both maintain poultry processing plants on the shore and are two of the largest employers in Population: 33,164 the area. The agricultural community has drawn Race: many Hispanic or Latino immigrants and migrant 68% White workers to the area; these workers spend all or 29% African American parts of their year working in farms or factories. 9% Hispanic or Latino Poverty Rate: 19.5% (Virginia: 11%) Most of these immigrants are from Guatemala, Median Household Income: 38,503 (Virginia: $66,149) Honduras, and El Salvador, though also from Common Non-English Languages Spoken: Columbia, Mexico, Chile, Haiti, and other nations. Spanish The local diversity, though a community asset, can French Creole be a point of tension on the Shore.
History of YouthWorks in Eastern Shore: YouthWorks began serving the Eastern Shore in 2003 in Cape Charles, VA. Since then, we’ve moved up the Shore and have served in communities like Keller, Onley, and Onancock. We’re currently stay in Parksley, VA and serve the northern half of the Eastern Shore. Our time in different towns on the Eastern Shore has allowed us to better understand each community we serve in and better partner with them through Kids Club and Work Projects.
Community Info Sheet
Why YouthWorks Serves Here: The Eastern Shore of Virginia is comprised of rich history, beautiful scenery, and small, yet diverse, towns. The Eastern Shore provides a vast variety of outdoor activities, making it a popular summer tourist destination. While tourism is an important part of the local industry, agriculture is the driving force of the economy. The agricultural industry, mainly tomato farms and chicken-processing plants, have drawn a sizeable migrant worker population, primarily made up of Latin and Central Americans, to the Eastern Shore. In addition to the large Latin and Central American population, the African-American and White communities make up most of the population on the shore, which have often created racial divides amongst the community. These historical racial divides can be felt among the communities at various times, especially in how the Latin and Central American migrant community is often discriminated against. YouthWorks exists on the Eastern Shore to learn from and serve these distinct communities. There are several opportunities throughout the week to learn about the challenges that are associated with the life of a migrant worker and immigrant on the Shore. Because relationships are very important in all the small communities throughout the Shore, YouthWorks partners with local churches and organizations to identify service opportunities. These opportunities include identifying meaningful Work Projects, especially painting and doing yard work for the elderly and disabled, facilitating a kids’ program for the migrant and Latin American community, and providing volunteers to existing social service organizations.
Community Struggles and Challenges on the Shore • Economy & Work Conditions: The economy of Eastern Shore depends solely on agriculture – produce, poultry, and seafood processing. Because agriculture depends largely on climate conditions, the economy tends to be both seasonal and unpredictable. Work conditions can vary greatly as well – farming often means hard labor, long hours, and mediocre pay.
• Isolation: The Eastern Shore of Virginia is geographically separated from the rest of the commonwealth of Virginia. It was not until 1964 that there was a bridge to connect the Shore to the rest of Virginia. Though access has changed, much of the older generation have kept an isolationist attitude and are often leery of outsiders.
• Race Relations: Despite being a rural area, the population of Eastern Shore is very diverse. The agricultural industry attracts many different populations of people. Migrant workers and immigrants are often drawn to the Shore because jobs are not difficult to find. While race is a non-issue for many, there is a strong division between those that are “from here” vs. those that have “come here”. Navigating where the lines of culture cross is important as you enter this community.
• Barriers to Immigration: Despite attracting a large migrant population, the Eastern Shore has very few legal resources. Most who need help with Visas or applying for citizenship must travel to Washington D.C. to get assistance. A trip to D.C. – and missing a day’s wages – isn’t always a viable option.
Positive Opportunities & Why Serving Matters Relationships: Kids on the Shore love having one-on-one attention and have an endless supply of energy to play games with you. Kids that you meet have a chance to share their knowledge & life stories or just play a game. In all cases, knowing groups have come to the shore to meet them is so important in helping individuals see they have value.
Breakdown Stereotypes: Serving on the Shore helps to break down stereotypes that people have of the Hispanic community. It is incredible to have an opportunity to model service as Jesus did and have a mutually enriching exchange of culture, language, and customs that can occur upon seeking to love, respect, and understand one another in the brotherhood.