A nonprofit organization is helping farmworkers in Plant City as we head into the new school year.

They’re lending a hand to hundreds of families in the county who aren’t able to afford rising prices for most items.

There’s a reason Sofai Salazar comes to this place whenever she has the chance.

“I really like talking to the people and getting to know them,” she said.

She’s a volunteer with the nonprofit organization Colectivo ARBOL and is here in Plant City to help dozens of families who are looking for some help around this time of year.

“It’s difficult for families that have low income,” Salazar said.

The families anxiously waiting in line are nearby farmworkers who sometimes can’t afford the necessities to help their kids get ready for the new school year. Alma Juarez, a branch manager with Achieva Credit Union, says with recent inflation, any way to help these families is worth it.

“With the prices of everything going up,” she said, “they can’t afford it and our school lists are getting bigger and bigger every year.”

That’s where Colectivo ARBOL and Isaret Jeffers come in.

“We can bring to people food, school supplies we have them ready for, you see, back to school,” Jeffers said.

Jeffers and Colectivo try to come out every six months or on major holidays with not only school supplies but with vouchers for free haircuts and the chance to give the kids their annual physicals.

“It’s important because we need to serve communities too,” said Jeffers.

While education is a big motivation for the folks in this field on a Friday afternoon, the look on these kids’ faces makes waiting in the sweltering heat worth it. According to Juarez, they plan on helping around 300 families today with school supplies and other essentials.