For Maribel Cachu, farm workers are sacred. So is the land they nurture—our beloved Mother Earth. They cultivate her. Take care of her. Work together with her in perfect harmony to nourish us.
Born in California, Maribel grew up in a family of farm workers. Her father immigrated from Mexico for a better life, and she experienced firsthand the challenges their communities face in the United States.
So much so that she joined the farm worker movement, inspired by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, in high school.
Fighting for justice from the fields to the frontlines, Maribel made it her life’s mission to bring communities like hers out of the shadows.
Although she married young and got caught up in the American Dream, chasing success across industries and states, Maribel remained committed to helping the community and always found ways to give back. She inspired her family to do the same.
And in 2019, Maribel returned to California and her roots–choosing community over capitalism. “I wanted to help my people,” she said. “I’ve never wavered from that point.”
In 2020, she started working with the United Farm Workers Foundation and ran distributions throughout Ventura County during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Then in 2022, Maribel followed family back to Arizona (where she lived previously in 2005). She visited local farms and learned there were no food or clothing distributions. In fact, no one had served farm workers in the area for 27 years.
So Maribel went to work. She visited the farms continuously, rebuilding trust within the community. She partnered with like-minded people and organizations including St. Mary’s Food Bank, Arizona Food Bank Network, local Catholic churches, and Tonatierra, creating a volunteer network that now serves over 1,000 people monthly with food, clothes, and essentials—rain or shine.
Now, through Manos y Maíz, she’s building more:
🫱🏽 A food distribution center
🚚 A donation truck
🌽 A future for all vulnerable communities—not just farm workers
“Giving our people their dignity back is what we do with our distributions,” Maribel said. “We’re continuing to serve with dignity above all. They are the sacred people working alongside Mother Earth to nourish the rest of us, so we honor their sacred role. I hope to bring them out of the shadows and into the light where they belong.”
Powered by people. Lifted by love. This is Manos y Maíz.
If you are inspired by Maribel’s story, please make a donation to Manos y Maíz now.
