Success Story:
Early Childhood & Family Support Services Provide Opportunities for Parents and Children

Karin, Tennessee

East Tennessee is tomato country. Each summer, migrant workers arrive en masse to pick tomatoes and put food on our tables. They travel lightly, bringing strong backs and calloused hands, and sometimes, bringing their children and families. Like many people experiencing poverty, farmworkers struggle to access basic services such as childcare and medical care, but in the foothills of Southern Appalachia, a partnership between Rural Medical Services, Inc. and Telamon is helping to meet those needs and build a better community.

Through this unique collaboration, Rural Medical Services provides no-cost physicals and health sceenings for children enrolling in our Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) program. Karin Hoffman, Rural Medical Service’s Migrant Program Director, was instrumental in establishing this partnership in 2007. Twelve years later, she and her staff are still some of our best recruiters! They continue to refer families to our program, promote our services to parents, and work closely with Telamon staff members like Sabrina and Tiffany.

Farmworkers and their families often face many challenges. We believe that by partnering with people like Karin and organizations like Rural Medical Services, we can more effectively meet the needs of all families and build stronger, healthier communities for everyone.