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Interested in helping our neighbors in need &
strengthening our community?
Click here to donate to UWCM.
simple changes change lives. | | |
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 Local Builder Gets A Helping Hand
While he was in business, George Klein helped people build their dreams as the
owner of Greenwood Industries, a local contracting company. He also helped
people build their dreams by employing hundreds of local union workers.
Unfortunately, just over a year ago, George became partially disabled due to
diabetes, liver failure and other complications. Now due to his illness it
seemed George may never realize his own dreams of living out an active
retirement and enjoying life with his family. Soon simple things like getting in
and out of his home became challenging tasks for George.
Brian Brousseau, Business Manager for Roofers
local 33, a local union whose members had worked for George, immediately thought
of the AFL/CIO Labor Community Services Partnership Program at the United Way of
Central Massachusetts and the Ramp Program. He contacted Candy Carlson, AFL/CIO
Director of Labor Community Services, and was able to set in motion a plan to
mobilize volunteers from Carpenters local 107 to build a ramp for George.
In a recent letter, George’s wife, Linda wrote,
“Words cannot express our appreciation for your never ending help, love, and
support in making George’s ramp a reality. You cannot believe what a difference
this one act of kindness has made in George’s everyday life.”
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Help Us STAMP Out Hunger!
Letter Carrier's Annual Food Drive Saturday, May 10, 2008
Put your non-perishable donation in a bag by your mailbox.
We'll deliver it to a local food bank for you.
download printable flyer
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AFL-CIO United Way Partnership
The AFL/CIO is dedicated to providing the best services available to its
membership. With this in mind, they formed a partnership with the United Way of
Central Massachusetts over 40 years ago. The partnership has provided solutions
in creating a stronger community that provides a great place for union members
to live, work, raise children and retire.
The partnership is an essential part of the solutions needed to continue
strengthening the community.
Working together, the AFL/CIO United Way partnership provides members with the
opportunity to shape their community through volunteer services and a direct
link to information on health, and human services.
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AFL-CIO COMMUNITY SERVICES PROGRAM
The
Community Services Program coordinates many programs to benefit members
of organized labor, their families and the community at large. Members
of organized labor participate in United Way’s Day of Caring, organize
the Handicapped Ramp Program, NALC food drive, the Holiday toy drive and
other special projects. One of the most important roles of the Community
Services Program is to design and provide training sessions for union
members, their families and other community partners. |
 NALC
Food Drive
On the second
Saturday in May each year the National Association of Letter Carriers hold their
annual Stamp Out Hunger in America National Food Drive. Nearly 1,500 local
branches in more than 10,000 cities and towns across America, Puerto Rico, Guam
and the Virgin Islands participate in the program. This food drive, the largest
single volunteer day in America, depends on the generous efforts of letter
carriers across the nation, as well as the outstanding support of the Campbell
soup Company, America’s Second Harvest, local United Ways, and the AFL/CIO. By
the end of the day, in addition to the daily mail, the NALC collected a record
70.9 million pounds of food for the hungry in America. NALC President William
Young commented, “Many of the recipients are from working families, people who
just need a helping hand to get through some tough times". Volunteers from NALC
Branch 12 delivered 417,228 pounds of food to organizations serving the hungry
in Central Massachusetts – the largest amount to date.
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Union Community Activist Network (UCAN) Training Program
Members of organized labor are often people who care deeply for
their community. Union brothers and sisters can learn about the
tools available to help communities by joining the Union Community
Activist Network (UCAN). The UCAN training is the entry point for
volunteers in Community Services. It connects union members to
services and prepares them to actively participate in union building,
community building, and mobilizing strategies of the Central Labor
Council. In the Spring of 2004, the Community Services Committee
conducted a three- week training program about social justice issues
that prepared leaders to continue the time honored tradition of
fighting for equity, fairness and change.
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Handicap Ramp Program
Local union members volunteer here in our community identifying
agencies, families and individuals who are in need of handicap -
accessibility. They donate their time and supplies to construct ramps
that significantly improve the quality of life for people in our
community. Carpenters local 107 have been instrumental in organizing the
engineering side of the handicap ramp process, and partner with the
AFL/CIO Labor Director at the United Way to build secure,
well-constructed ramps. |
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