East Alton – The Greater Madison County Federation of Labor got back together for the first time after the holidays on Thursday, Jan. 22, and a theme soon emerged – the generosity of labor and its friends.
Federation leaders members had organized or supported a number of good causes over the holidays, and “thank yous” were in order.
HEAD START
First, representatives of Riverbend Head Start brought a poster and cards made by their client children in thanks for the “Holiday for Head Start” program, the now-annual fund-raising project that provides $100 grocery gift certificates for needy families with at-risk children up to age 5.
John Ciszczon of Letter Carriers Branch 155 had been taking up the collection on his mail route for years, but for the past two years, the full Federation has joined in, greatly multiplying the funding received, under leadership from Rick Stamer of Iron Workers Local 392.
Kristen Gosling, public relations director for Riverbend Head & Family Services, thanked Ciszczon, Stamer and Federation President B. Dean Webb for their work on the project, and the full Federation for its support.
With the money raised, Riverbend was able to provide 97 families with the gift cards.
“These gift cards meant so much to them,” she said. The program has now helped 217 families over the two years the Federation has been involved.
FOOD FOR FAMILIES
Another Federation officer, Gene Hudson, reported on Holiday Hams, in which the Callis Law Firm of Granite donated 600 hams that were distributed to families in the Venice and Granite City townships.
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