Central Virginia Farm Workers Initiative

by Kelsey Hinton | May 30, 2025 | Grantee Spotlights

Central Virginia Farm Workers Initiative: Helping Nelson County Growers by Keeping Migrant Workers Healthy

NCCF has made grants to the Central Virginia Farm Workers Initiative(CVFWI) for five consecutive years. CVFWI is led by Vanessa Hale, a local advocate for migrant farm worker welfare. CVFWI seeks to empower farm workers to improve their quality of life by providing healthcare education and advocacy for their well-being.

COVID Vaccinations

Using the initial grant from Nelson County Community Fund, Vanessa started the Central Virginia Farm Workers Initiative (CVFWI) in response to COVID challenges affecting local growers and migrant farmworkers. The migrant farm worker population has H2A work visas, and they are the primary labor used by Nelson County orchards, vineyards and farms to harvest produce, grapes and other crops. CVFWI in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health and UVA’s Latino Health Initiative conducted five vaccination events for the migrant farmworker population in Nelson County. 575 farmworkers were vaccinated resulting in a vaccination rate of 97%.

Vanessa Hale and several migrant farm workers during the COVID pandemic.

Healthy Farm Workers Program

Evolving from the COVID vaccination initiative, CVFWI created the Healthy Farm Workers (HFW) program which has been running for four years. This program includes preventive healthcare checks for diabetes and hypertension, as well as assistance in navigating the Central Virginia healthcare system for farm workers who are geographically and socially isolated. The HFW program, more recently has evolved into a Multipoint Care Access Initiative (MCAI), which seeks to make culturally and linguistically appropriate services accessible to farm workers.

Migrant farm workers receive diabetic prevention screenings as part of the Healthy Farm Worker program.

CVFWI & CTLP Tax Workshops

Community Tax Law Project (CTLP) has worked alongside CVFWI for the last five years, addressing tax rights
and responsibilities and providing free tax filing for farm workers. In 2024, tax workshops were introduced to
assist farm workers with education about their tax obligations. This project strengthened CVFWI and migrant
farm worker relationships further.

A migrant farm worker attends a tax workshop in October 2024 co-sponsored by Central Virginia Farm Workers Initiative and Community Tax Law Project.

Click here to learn more about Central Virginia Farm Workers Initiative: https://cvfwi.org/

Photos provided by Stephanie Gross Photography/CVFWI..

April 10, 2025: Inaugural Spring Garden High Tea Fundraising Event

by Kelsey Hinton | May 30, 2025 | Past Events

April 10th: Inaugural Spring Garden High Tea Fundraising Event

Silver Fox Lavendar Farm in Nellysford, VA where the Spring Garden High Tea event was held.

On April 10th, the Nelson County Community Fund (NCCF) hosted its inaugural Spring Garden High Tea at the picturesque Silver Fox Lavender Farm in Nellysford, Virginia. It was a vibrant success!

Hosted by Suzzane McQueen and Lena Kroll, over 60 women gathered in their brightest florals and spring finery.

The event raised more than $6,000, with every dollar directly supporting NCCF’s mission to aid local nonprofits serving Nelson County residents.

The money raised will be awarded as part of our next Grant Award cycle in August 2025.

To apply for a grant, visit Apply for a Grant.

Attendees donned springtime attire, including hats and fascinators, adding a splash of color and elegance despite the grey, drizzly weather.

Guests enjoyed a delightful spread of food, tea, and bubbly from Valley Road Vineyards, along with a special preview of the much-anticipated Beltie’s Biscuits, soon to open on Route 151 in Nellysford. Service was graciously provided by community members, including NCCF Board members and President Ken Heise.

Susan Murnane, Tiffany Keaton and Ellen Hinton enjoy their tea and crumpets served Kim Kroll at the Garden High Tea event.

Suzzane McQueen expressed heartfelt gratitude: “We are deeply thankful for the overwhelming support from across the community for this inaugural event.

It’s inspiring to see so many come together for such a worthy cause.” Lena Kroll added, “The participation and generosity of local businesses have been incredible. Even the rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of our attendees, who brought warmth and joy to the day.”

This successful fundraiser highlights the strong community spirit and commitment to supporting Nelson County through the Nelson County Community Fund.

Photo credit: Photos by Peter Hill, Nikoneagle Photography C2025

April 5th: 2025 Live Bold Four-Mile Run

by Kelsey Hinton | May 29, 2025 | Past Events

April 5th: Live Bold Four-Mile Run

On April 5th, 2025 the Nelson County Community Fund participated in the Live Bold 4-Miler at the Bold Rock Cidery in Nellysford, Virginia organized by Corkscrew Racing. They had selected NCCF as their nonprofit beneficiary for the event.

NCCF was represented at the race, as were some 40 friends and neighbors from Stoney Creek who formed their own team, the largest single group participating in the 4-Mile run.

The event raised $1,200 for NCCF that will be awarded during our next Grant Award cycle in August 2025.

To apply for a grant, visit Apply for a Grant.