To OFNHP Board, Leadership, ad Union Members,
I hope this message finds you well. With the holiday season approaching, we are seeking your invaluable support for our Present from Partners program. This initiative is dedicated to providing essential assistance to union members in need during this special time of year.
At the core of our mission is solidarity. We are committed to standing by our union families, offering support in their most challenging times, and ensuring they know they are not alone. This commitment exemplifies the essence of the union: uniting to face challenges together within the labor movement. Our program embodies this spirit by delivering gifts, offering food support, and providing additional resources to individuals and families facing hardships.
Last year, thanks to the generosity of partners like you, we made a significant impact on the lives of almost 300 families through Presents from Partners. This year, we hope to build on that success and extend even greater support to those who need it most.
We recognize that the holidays can be particularly challenging for some of our members, and it is our mission to ensure they receive the support and care they deserve. With your partnership, we can provide:
- Gifts: Thoughtful items and toys to bring joy and comfort to members and their families.
- Food Support: Nutritious and essential food items to ensure no one goes hungry during the holidays.
- Additional Resources: Access to further assistance and support services as needed.
- Community: A sense of being cared for and affirms to members they are a part of a union family in every hardship.The power of solidarity is reflected in the many incredible individuals we have encountered in this work. One such example is Ryan Long, whose journey highlights the impact of our work and the financial support you gave in the previous year.
“I am a proud cement mason in Local 555 and I learned about Labor’s Community Service Agency a couple of years ago when my kids and I faced an unimaginable tragedy – the mother of my children suddenly passed away. Even after I learned the horrible news, I continued showing up at the job site every day because I needed money. My union president Geoff Kossack eventually asked why I wasn't taking any time to be with my family. I knew deep inside he was right and that I needed to be with my girls to help them process the loss of their mom, but I just couldn't see any way that I would be able to take time off, especially now that I was the only working parent. Geoff was helpful and caring and said he knew of an agency that would be able to assist me.
I was so stressed, wondering how in the world I would be able to manage getting through all this. But, LCSA helping out with my rent was a tremendous relief. My heart was so heavy with loss and grief, and I needed to be home. That was what was most important in that moment. My three girls had just lost their mother. This was just devastating. We were all in a state of total shock. Labor’s Community Service Agency gave me the ability to not only grieve, but to be with my children. It was a silver lining to a horrible time. A lot of people give condolences, which are very much appreciated, but LCSA gave me something that I will never forget and had my back when it mattered most.
Times were especially hard back then. I didn't have a lot of money or savings, and losing a loved one comes with a ton of unplanned expenses. And Christmas was approaching, my girls had just lost their mom, and I knew that without money, this holiday would be an added disappointment in their life. Then, shortly after they helped with my rent, Labor's Community reached out again to ask me if I would like to participate in their toy program.
I still get emotional thinking of the joy that was on my kids' faces when they received those gifts. My youngest were 3 and 6 at the time and they were screaming, “Santa Came!” They were so happy. LCSA made my kids' Christmas so meaningful. And this meant the world to me, you don’t even know. My whole life revolves around my kids. It’s all about the spirit of the holiday – LCSA put that back in my home at such a difficult time. This took a ton of stress off me, alleviating some of the sadness of thinking I wasn’t going to be able to provide for them on Christmas day. They made it happen for me and my family. I mean, LCSA went above and beyond! They brought my kids’ gifts all the way to my house in Eugene! Even I was included in the gifts! And I was able to buy some much needed items with the gift card provided. And it’s those little things that show people that they matter, and what they are going through matters. It was beyond amazing.
It’s these acts of kindness that can change the course of people's lives forever. Like really. Labor’s Community was that difference in my life. LCSA inspired me by showing they care about what people go through. And if sharing my story can help people understand how important this agency is to apprenticeships and labor unions, I will gladly let people into my life, to see how they made an impact when it mattered most.”
Your past and future contributions are the safety-net that serves as a powerful reminder to workers that they are not alone—that they have a community standing behind them, ready to offer support. This vital safety-net puts food on the table, brings joy during the holiday, allows members to have dignity in giving gifts to their children, and provides additional resources that might otherwise not be available.
Together, we can ensure that no member is left behind, that everyone has the support they need to emerge stronger on the other side. Please join us, together we can make a significant difference and bring hope and joy to those who need it most during the holiday season.
Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a positive impact. Let's make the 2024 Presents from Partner program a testament to the strength of solidarity and the power of collective action.
In unity and gratitude,
- LCSA Executive Director
- OPEIU Local 11 Represented Organization
In order for your union to be included in our acknowledgments and featured on our website and NW Labor Press, we need to have either received payment, a completed notice of intent form, or an email to director@lcsanorthwest.org indicating your union’s commitment to provide a financial contribution by November 30th. Please mail your check to LCSA at 9955 SE Washington St. Suite 301, Portland, OR 97216 or pay online at //www.LCSAnorthwest.org/donate.