Presents from Partners: Union family and allies step up in support

By SHAMMRA LACY  Director, Labor’s Community Service Agency

Union brothers, sisters, and allies are always willing to help when needed, and in times of need, they are often the first to step up to the plate. This is exactly what they did this holiday season. Without the union community and allies, people like Ryan and Heather would not have had anything this holiday for their families. 

Ryan shared with Labor’s Community Service Agency (LCSA) that he was overwhelmed with emotion by the support he received for himself and his three young daughters, as he did not know what he was going to do after unexpectedly losing his wife a few months earlier. All the gifts, stockings, $100 gift card, and full meal was a huge blessing to them all.

For Heather and her son, they were not going to have any food for their home, so the holiday meal was much needed and welcomed. The $100 Fred Meyer gift card donated by IBEW Local 48 made it possible for them to get more food and a few small gifts to celebrate one another.

Without the following individuals, allies, and partners, LCSA would not have been able to serve almost 200 families and 500 children spanning 158 miles north to south and 205 miles east to west this year during 2022’s Presents from Partners program. Through collective action, you, as supporters, were able to make a real difference in the lives of so many, and we could not be more appreciative. 

IBEW Local 48 donated $19,100 by providing $100 Fred Meyer gift cards to every family served. 

AFT Retirees made over 600 stockings, and Northwest Oregon Labor Council stuffed over 400 of those stockings.

IBEW Federal Credit Union collected, bought, sorted, and bagged gifts for children to present to their caregivers. Portland Local 8 Federal Credit Union and ILWU Local 8 members raised funds year-round to help bring a holiday meal to every family we served, and collected toys as well.

The Carpenters, Cement Masons, Ironworkers, IUPAT, Laborers, NECA/IBEW, Operating Engineers, Plumbers/Pipefitters, Roofers, and Sheet Metal training centers brought in more than 140 bags of toys! Congratulations to the friendly toy drive winners. The 1st Place Training Center winner is the Ironworkers, with 41 bags of toys; the 2nd Place winner is NECA/IBEW, with 27 bags; and 3rd Place went to the Operating Engineers, with 11 bags. Thank you everyone who brought in toys to make this such a success. Our friends at Portland Federation of School Professionals Local 111 inventoried every toy to ensure that there was enough for each child. 

BCTGM-represented Spin Catering prepared and beautifully packaged over 1,200 servings of a ready-to-eat holiday meal for each family served.

Over 30 volunteers came in the week before the event to pick out toys for the children, stuff bags with gifts, toys, and stockings, sort by zip codes, tie on ribbons, and double check the lists. On the day of delivery, over 75 volunteers were present to grab bags, load them in cars, greet drivers, and deliver the toys, gifts, and holiday meals to the doorsteps of so many. 

Special thanks to the following union ally companies, many of which have participated in this holiday solidarity program for over 11 years: Benesys, Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente, Withum, Loomis Sayles & Co., Northwest Labor Press, Hollywood Impress, American Income Life, and the labor-management committees of the electricians and laborers. Our sincere gratitude goes out to the hosts of the entire project, Oregon Laborers Training and Apprenticeship and Laborers Local 737, whose generosity and commitment to making sure families do not go without are unparalleled.

And without the generosity of the United Way of the Columbia Willamette, which has supported labor since 1974, none of this would have been possible. Thanks to their funding, LCSA has been able to flourish and keep providing safety-net and supportive services to union families. Our foundation is on their support, and they have provided unrivaled community service.

But above all, we wish to show our profound appreciation to each union for going above and beyond to assist those who are struggling during this challenging time. We appreciate you allowing LCSA to assist your membership. We are pleased to do it.