Meet the Board: Graham Hart
Sometimes, all it takes is one picture, one look, one visit, and your life can be changed. For Graham Hart, it was that first visit to Immokalee that convinced him to do something to affect change in this vibrant but fragile community. Between the swaying fields of crops filled with a buzz of activity from the farmworkers, and the devastation that Hurricane Irma left in its path, his life would soon intertwine with the fate of the community. What he encountered shook him to his core. In just one visit, he could not get the images out of his mind, and he set out to make a difference.
As the General Presbyter of the Peace River Presbytery, Graham was used to doing what he could to help where help was needed, but nothing could prepare him for what he witnessed in Immokalee on that day. As he drove through the streets of Immokalee, his eyes were met with scenes of dilapidated trailers, shrouded in mold and decay. These were not just structures; they were homes for the migrant farmworkers who toiled tirelessly under the scorching sun to pick the food that graces many tables, all while providing for their families. He was appalled when he learned that many of these workers were paying exorbitant amounts of their meager incomes simply to live in these deplorable conditions.
For Graham, this was not just a matter of inadequate housing; it was a stark manifestation of injustice. “It was blatant injustice,” Graham remembers. “Immokalee changed me. From that first visit and every time since, I kept seeing folks with so little in a county that is known for having so much. Something had to be done.”
Moved by what he witnessed, Graham felt an unyielding determination rise within him. He knew that he could not turn a blind eye to the plight of these farmworkers. Thus, fueled by a newfound sense of purpose, he resolved to take action.
“It was obvious that safe, affordable, fair housing was what the community needed. After looking into the situation more, I met with Arol (Buntzman), an together with a few other people, and our friends at Mision Peniel, we realized that this was the connection that was needed. So we set out to create the Alliance and do something to bring about change in this community.”
The group, now known as the Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance (IFHA), had a singular goal in mind: to provide safe, affordable housing for the farmworkers who had long been marginalized and neglected.
“We cast a vision, and people came on board quickly. A visit to Immokalee changes people. In a short period of time, we had hundreds of people wanting to help in whatever way they could. When you see the need face to face, it truly changes you.”
For him, this project is more than just bricks and mortar; it’s a testament to the power of compassion and collective action. It’s a testament to the transformative impact of a single visit that had ignited a fire within his soul.
As Graham stood gazing at the first building constructed for the project, he knew that their work was far from over. But with each step forward, fueled by the memory of that fateful visit, he remains steadfast in his resolve to champion the cause of justice and equality for all. And in the fields where fruits and vegetables grow, a new harvest of hope is beginning to flourish, nourished by the seeds of change sown by so many who support the Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance.
“We take the food on our table or granted. What about the people who put it there? When you identify what’s not right in the world, you have to make it right. We need to do something to make a difference. We can make a difference.”