Office for Farmworker Ministry

Apopka, Florida, United States

Thirty years ago, four women of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, including Sister Ann Kendrick, gathered in central Florida to address the poverty of farmworkers. Driven by a sense of purpose and the desire to serve others, they founded the Office for Farmworker Ministry to change the lives of men, women and children in central Florida.

Since then, these sisters have fostered programs to meet basic human needs. They established the Homes in Partnership program, which has built more than 4,000 houses, and a credit union with three branches, which provides farmworkers with financial skills. Their community health center now has eight clinics that provide medical and dental care, and they operate a rural law center to provide basic legal services and advocacy for workers.

These sisters are building important resources for the next generation, connecting with groups like the Notre Dame Americorp Volunteers. As they build relationships and communities, they are helping farmworkers in central Florida live more empowered lives.