Interview With Phil Kellerman of Harvest of Hope Foundation + Music Fest

As I am sure a lot of you know, the Harvest of Hope Festival is just around the corner (March 12-14) and I am extremely excited that I’ll be able to take part in the eclectic array of musical finesse throughout the weekend! Earlier this month I was privileged enough to be able to conduct an interview with Phil Kellerman, the President of the Harvest of Hope Foundation, via email to ask him some questions about the grassroots Foundation and what this year’s Fest will have to offer its rosy audience. No matter what musical community you may come from, I think everyone can benefit from understanding the charity and generosity that goes into foundations such as Harvest of Hope and how fortunate bands are to have such foundations as another reason to play music that they enjoy! Check out this short-and-sweet interview to get a better grasp on the Harvest of Hope Foundation and Music Festival.

Zach: In 1997, you established the Harvest of Hope Foundation to help support migrant workers and their families by supplying them with everyday needs for their job and financial aid for their educational pursuits. The kind and giving virtue of this foundation speaks for itself. How would you describe your experience with this foundation and the impact that it has had on you and others?

Phil: In 1995 I began work at the State University of New York at Oneonta responding to calls from migrant farmworkers to a newly established National Migrant Education Hotline. A good percentage of the calls were requests for financial aid for car repairs due to breakdowns while traveling, gas, medical services, rent, utilities, food, clothing and funeral expenses. However, the federal funding for the Hotline did not provide money to provide emergency financial aid. I soon discovered that federal, state and local financial aid to migrant farmworkers was often limited or not available at all.

Prior to her passing in 1996, my grandmother, Dr. Helen Zand told me that I would be receiving an inheritance from her. I knew then that I was going to use part of my inheritance to set up the Harvest of Hope Foundation, in honor of her, to provide financial aid to migrant farmworkers calling the Hotline and other migrant farmworkers and families.

When I look back, the toughest thing was making the move to go into a lawyer’s office to begin the incorporation process because I knew very little about running a foundation, and I knew that I was chartering into new personal and professional waters. Operating the Harvest of Hope Foundation has been life changing for me in so many positive ways. Migrant farmworkers assisted by the Foundation have cried on the phone to me in thanks; have written letters of appreciation; and the social workers, advocates and teachers that work with migrants have been so grateful that the Foundation was there as a last resort for help to their migrant clients. I also believe that many of the friends, foundation volunteers and bands have had their eyes opened to those who work so diligently to harvest and produce their food, and have experienced their own personal development by contributing to such a unique and special cause.

Zach: The Harvest of Hope Festival is an amazing event to help plant awareness and harvest aid for the migrant community – all in a very fun and feel-good manner. This Fest converges two totally different communities, the musical and agricultural, in an effort to benefit the well being of those less fortunate. The Harvest of Hope Fest has only been around for two years (this March being its second playing). Would you say the existence of this new Fest has generously effected the Harvest of Hope Foundation in financial aid or in any other aspects?

Phil: Since the Harvest of Hope Foundation provides direct financial aid and advocates for a largely unknown and misunderstood population of workers, the organization receives almost no corporate financial support. Thus, the Harvest of Hope Fest has been a tremendous boost to the Foundation. The music at the Fest is progressive, alternative and non-commercial in nature and thus the musicians and fans are open-minded to the grassroots work of the Foundation. During the first Fest, I think we opened lots of eyes to the work of migrant farmworkers. For the upcoming Fest, we will have the opportunity to increase awareness of migrant farmworkers and the Foundation.

Other beneficial offshoots from the Fest for the Foundation have included a slew of smaller music benefits across the country to raise funds; the production by Fail Safe Records of a double CD from last year to raise funds, and a documentary of the Fest and Foundation by Double Donuts Productions to come out soon.

Zach: Taken from the ‘About’ section of The Harvest of Hope Foundation is a statement of how “Many Americans know so little of the agricultural, economic and cultural contributions of migrant farm-workers who harvest a large share of our nation’s fruits, vegetables and other foods. The goals of Harvest of Hope are to open the eyes of individuals to the hard work and struggles of our nation’s migrant laborers.”

I, and I’m sure curious other Americans (of all ages and cultural ranges), are interested in knowing more about our agricultural industry. Could you elaborate a little on some information that might enlighten us about the work ethic and labor conditions of migrant workers and the industry they work in?

Phil: The planting, hoeing, seeding and harvesting of fruits and vegetables is labor intensive, and most owners of farms cannot find, if any, local residents willing or able to work the long hours required to bring in the crops. Thus they rely on migrant farmworkers born in the U.S. and those from other countries who will travel to do the hard, physical work required of temporary or seasonal agriculture.

Many owners of small to medium size farms treat their migrant workers decently. However, their operating costs are high and the price that they receive for their produce by large supermarket chains is comparatively low; thus farms cannot afford to pay high wages to their migrant workers. The average annual salary of a migrant family is between $7,000-12,000. Some farm owners treat their migrant workers terribly and exploit them with threats of deportation, by not paying them or by making them live in decrepit housing. Heath services to migrant workers are limited due to the rural nature of their work. Pesticide exposure is common.

Why should we care? Because migrant farmworkers help to feed us by doing the field work most of us would not do. They earn our support.

Zach: Are there going to be any kinds of additional information and/or events available at the Harvest of Hope Festival that might help those interested become more familiar with the Harvest of Hope Foundation? If so, what kinds?

Phil: We are going to expand the non-profit section of the Fest to include more agencies and organizations that help migrant farmworkers with educational, health, legal and other support services. Items for sale such as the double CD and the documentary will serve to bring home the issue of migrant labor. The Mike Bernos Band will play their new CD which has two tribute songs to migrant farmworkers. My brother, Ed Kellerman, communications director for the Foundation, and I will be available for more interviews to talk about the work of the Foundation.

Zach: I always like when an issue ends with some kind of spirited solution or remedy that might help towards rectifying a problem. What would you suggest for those who want to be more supportive and aware about the agricultural industry and migrant community around them?

Phil: I like this question and I like to tell folks that there are several simple ways to support agriculture and the migrant farmworkers who work so diligently. One, shop at local farmers markets or buy produce from small to medium size farms. Two, demand that supermarkets buy their produce locally and pay a fair price to farmers without the “middleman.” Three, write to legislators about passing immigration reform to allow hard-working immigrant workers to come out of the shadows and become citizens. Four, support the Dream Act which would allow undocumented high school graduates the opportunity to adjust their status to legal if they can complete college. Five, make a donation or put together an event to help raise funds for the Harvest of Hope Foundation.

Zach: Thank you kindly for taking the time to answer these questions and for the generous attention of services that you have given to establishing and maintaining such a virtuous cause.

CHECK OUT THIS YEAR’S LINE-UP OF HEAVY-HITTING AND UP-AND-COMING BANDS HERE!

Disclosure: Members of Gen-Y Rock Stars will be attending the festival as guests of Harvest Of Hope.

Tags: Harvest of Hope, Music Festival, Phil Kellerman, Rock for Hunger