By José Luis Aguirre
El Heraldo Catolico

The current unemployment crisis has trickled down to day laborers who find that the homeowners, contractors and event organizers they depend on for work are no longer hiring. For some, their only safety net is the services of the Multicultural Institute in Berkeley.

For the past three months, the Multicultural Institute has been serving a hot meal to more than 120 day laborers every Friday. JOSé LUIS AGUIRRE PHOTO

Founded by Franciscan Father Rigoberto Caloca-Rivas in 1991, the non-profit organization has a history of helping day laborers find jobs while maintaining good relationships in the community. But now the focus includes providing food and other necessities to those who can’t find work.

“We cannot deny that the situation has changed,” says David Cobián, program director. “While last year we helped 20 to 25 workers to find jobs every week, this year we only get five or six jobs per week,” he said.

And this at a time when the number of day laborers seeking work continues to rise. Last year 360 day laborers came to the institute looking for help. So far this year the number has risen to more than 500.

This situation has forced the Multicultural Institute to intensify its efforts in public relations and outreach. It has hired some of their day workers to distribute fliers around the city promoting their services and letting the public know that they have reliable workers to do any kind of job.

“It seems that it is working,” says Cobián, who in the last weeks has visited parishes and community centers with information about the programs and services that the Institute offers. According to Cobián, the number of jobs for the day laborers has increased as well. The Multicultural Institute links someone who needs work with a day laborer who can provide the work.

Previously the workers had to sign a waiting list, but now jobs are few. Every Friday, the institute gives out food bags with rice, beans, and fresh vegetables. About 40 families are receiving the bags, twice the number of a few months ago.

“We increased the number because recently the Alameda County Food Bank has been providing us with food,” Cobián said.

Three months ago, the institute started serving hot meals every Friday at noon to 120 people, cooked by Cobián and Rudy Lara, the program’s assistant. The dining room is located at 1823 9th St in Berkeley where most of the services are provided. Fourteen volunteers help serve the food which includes meat or chicken provided by the Food Bank.

Every Friday before lunch, the day laborers also have the opportunity to take an English class where they learn vocabulary and useful sentences for their work. More than 25 workers attend these classes taught by six volunteer teachers who alternate every week.

The Institute also offers classes in Spanish to help the laborers prepare to take the GED exam four times a year. During three weeks, the students receive intensive classes Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The most recent class ended in April and another will be offered from Oct. 5 – 23. An average of 15 people registers in these classes.

Every morning, Cobián and Lara visit the day laborers who are looking for a job along Hearst Avenue to offer them a cup of coffee and bread and to get to know them better. “We know who has a wife and children, who hasn’t worked in several days, who has other needs. This information helps us to serve them better,” said Cobian.

Once a month, a mobile clinic from Alameda County’s homeless program visits the Multicultural Institute to offer healthcare to the day laborers. A dental service is offered by another mobile clinic every two months.

For more information on programs, services or to hire a worker visit www.mionline.orgor call (510) 847-8714.

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