Philadelphia Legal Assistance

The Pennsylvania Farmworker Project (PFP) of Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) is a legal services program funded by the Legal Services Corporation (LSC).  PFP was formed in 1996 with the mission to provide legal assistance to low-income migrant and seasonal farmworkers throughout the state of Pennsylvania. 

While Pennaslyvania’s farmworker population are concentrated in some year-round agricultural areas – such as Chester, Berks and Erie counties – migrant and seasonal farmworkers reside in almost every county in the state.

Farmworkers in Pennsylvania work predominantly with apples, mushrooms, and Christmas trees.  However, many farmworkers work in other agricultural areas as well, such as grapes, assorted vegetables and nurseries.  Farmworkers are critical to Pennsylvania’s agricultural success.

Farmworkers labor for long hours at low pay, often in dangerous conditions.  Pesticides, heavy machinery, and heat stroke are only some of the hazards that farmworkers face every day. 

Furthermore, many farmworkers are unaware of their rights and/or choose not to seek legal assistance for fear of retaliation from their employer.  This fear, along with many farmworkers’ geographic isolation and lack of access to social services, make outreach and community education one of the most important aspects of farmworker advocacy.

In order to ensure proper communication with a mostly Spanish-speaking client population, PFP’s staff is fully bilingual in Spanish and English.  Furthermore, PFP has access to interpreters and translators to assist in communicating with other non-English speaking clients, such as Haitian-Creole, Thai and other languages.

PFP staff is available to meet in person with new clients during office hours at the Kennett Area Senior Center ( google map) 427 South Walnut Street, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, on Mondays from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  PFP represents farmworkers in all 67 counties of the state, so PFP staff also conducts outreach throughout the rest of Pennsylvania.  PFP outreach activities include visiting labor camps, educating workers about their rights, and providing training to regional and local service providers.

Farmworkers can reach PFP via a toll-free number, from any location in the United States, at 1-888-541-1544.