History & Vision

The Illinois Migrant Council (IMC) has provided emergency and social services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFW) in Illinois since its incorporation as a 501( c)(3) not-for-profit organization in 1966.

In the words of Eloy Salazar, IMC Executive Director until 2017, “IMC is committed to creating a course of life where migrant and seasonal farmworkers and other economically disadvantaged families will… live and work in a healthy and safe environment; earn a living wage that results in economic security; be treated equally as other workers under the law; have increased access to educational opportunities; be recognized, valued and respected politically, socially, culturally and economically for their contribution to their local communities, society and nation.”

The Council grew into a formal organization as a result of the concerns of Illinois church ministries about the plight of migrant farmworkers in the early 1960's. IMC later expanded to serve the broader rural community including other underserved, low income families and individuals.

IMC has been funded by government and private sources over the years. In its early years it received donations and Community Food and Nutrition Program funds from the U.S. Community Services Administration. Since 1982, IMC has addressed the emergency needs of the farmworker population with a variety of federal, state and local funding, including contributions.

IMC has expanded to meet the growing educational and economic needs of farmworkers as resources allowed. Among its primary funding sources are the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Education, Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs and Illinois State Board of Education.