(February 4, 2015, Los Angeles) – On Friday, February 6, at 9:15 a.m., day laborers from the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), will volunteer their efforts to clean up and prepare a community garden at Gratts Elementary School, 309 S. Lucas Ave., for the students to learn science and beautify their surroundings.

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Linda Lopez, chief of Mayor Garcetti’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, is expected to attend, and staffers from Council Member Gil Cedillo’s office have been invited.

Since their inception, the day laborer centers in the City of Los Angeles have provided an avenue for workers to engage and give back to the community. The CARECEN Day Laborer center is located four blocks from the school. Some of the day laborers’ children attend Gratts. 

Despite abuses from unscrupulous employers who fail to pay their wages, as well as being at risk of losing funding for their centers in Los Angeles, day laborers continue to organize to improve their communities and to prevent the closure of their centers. Workers are pleased to work closely with Gratts Elementary personnel to ensure that children have a beautiful environment to learn, grow, and become contributing members of society.

The name of the Garden is Echando Raices, or Growing Roots. The name promotes learning, tolerance, understanding, respect and protection of the environment. The day laborers are proud of living, working, and raising families in the Pico Union neighborhood.

CARECEN has worked for 31 years to protect the rights and dignity of Central American and Latino immigrants in Southern California. Since its founding in 1983, when thousands of Central Americans were fleeing the brutality of civil war, CARECEN has worked to change unjust immigration policies, win legal status for immigrants, and foster community activism on issues such as education reform, workers and immigrant rights, economic justice and community strengthening.