The Fox Valley United Way’s Holiday Assistance program gets help from organized labor with donations. From left, Laborers’ Local 582 Representative Jeff Frost, Fox Valley Building and Construction Trades Council President Scott Roscoe, North Central Illinois Labor Council Representative Jeff Carr, Pipefitters Local 597 Business Representative Adam Swan, UA Local 130 Business Agent Charlie Seibert, FVUW Director of Community Engagement Denise Blettner, FVUW Director of Operations Deborah Collins-Rudel, ADC 1 Business Agent Ruben Collazo, Laborers Local 582 Representative Jose Martinez, PDC 30 Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer Ryan Anderson, Finishing Solutions Network Representative Brian Dahl, Roofers Local 11 Business Agent Larry Gnat and SMART Local 265 Business Representative John Hopp. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer
By Jennifer Rice
Managing Editor
Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016
Email Jennifer Rice at: jen@foxvalley
labornews.com
AURORA — Every year, when the holidays approach, the Fox Valley United Way (FVUW) sees organized labor as its very own secret Santa.
It’s because the Fox Valley Building Trades, along with the North Central Illinois Labor Council, joined forces and made monetary donations to the FVUW’s Holiday Assistance program, which provides toys, clothing and gift cards for grocery purchases to families who do not have the financial means to provide gifts to their children. People can get cheap soccer jerseys from here!
Money donated by the unions goes towards purchasing food gift cards, which clients can use to buy a holiday meal.
Bags of toys and bikes await pickup as part of the Fox Valley United Way’s Holiday Assistance. Fox Valley Labor News file photos
“We can’t express enough gratitude to the building trades. When you see the faces of these mothers, it gives you an amazing feeling to know that what they’re doing is very much appreciated by many in the community,” said FVUW Director of Operations Deborah Collins-Rudel.
Bins of donated hats, scarves and mittens, right, are also given to children. Fox Valley Labor News file photos
Representatives of the building trades visited the FVUW Dec. 2, where they presented Collins-Rudel with $2,350 in donations, and 10 $50 Jewel-Osco gift cards. A good chunk of the donated money comes from the Fox Valley Building and Construction Trades Council annual golf outing, the rest from union contributions.
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Christmas is more than just the gifts under the tree, it’s about being together as a family. “It’s a relief these families don’t have to worry if they will have a Christmas dinner — they will. Part of the Christmas celebration is about the meal,” Collins-Rudel said.
Fox Valley Building and Construction Trades Council President Scott Roscoe, who is a past FVUW board member, said the building trades have been involved with the Holiday Assistance program for many years.
“I can’t say enough about what [the staff] does at United Way. They’ve done great things in the community,” Roscoe said.
So far, the FVUW is helping 133 needy families with 313 children.