Granite City SOAR provides food boxes for families struggling during pandemic

MEMBERS OF THE GRANITE CITY STEELWORKERS ORGANIZATION of Active Retirees (SOAR) gave out free boxes of food to families struggling during the pandemic Aug. 28 at Restoration Church in Granite City. They will hold another food-box event there from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday, Sept. 25, motivated in part to help the families of Amsted Rail employees, who have suffered major layoffs for lack of orders for the steel castings it makes for the rail industry. Preparing to distribute boxes of food were (from left) Steelworkers Local 1899 member Casey Balentine, Madison County Circuit Clerk candidate Amy Gabriel, Illinois Supreme Court candidate Judy Cates, and SOAR member Mike Geske. Food for the boxes was supplied by the St. Louis Food Pantry, including fresh produce, dairy and eggs. – Doug May, USW Local 1899 photo