IBEW 1 Electrical Workers Minority Caucus ramps up annual coat drive

Electrical Connection members hope to distribute 700 coats this year

The IBEW Electrical Workers Minority Caucus is ramping up its annual coat drive with the goal of distributing 700 coats to the needy. The minority caucus is part of the Electrical Connection, a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association.

“We’ve been tapping the generosity of our partners and friends to meet our goal this year,” said Sylvester Taylor, director of diversity, equity and inclusion for the Electrical Connection. “This is the 18^th year of our coat drive and our commitment only grows stronger as our members are out in the community and witness so many in our distressed neighborhoods needing basic necessities.”

Since launching the drive in 2004, the IBEW Minority Caucus has given away more than 15,000 coats to families in need, 12,000 of them new coats.

Working with the Electrical Connection partnership, the minority caucus will be giving coats to various agencies to distribute to children in need throughout the fall and into the winter.

If you would like to support the coat drive, the IBEW Minority Caucus is looking for new coats or used coats in good condition that are appropriate for children up to the age of 18. You can drop off coats at the IBEW Local 1 union hall at 5850 Elizabeth Ave. in St. Louis or you can send a donation to:

IBEW Electrical Workers Minority Caucus, C/O Sylvester Taylor, 5850 Elizabeth Ave., St. Louis, Mo.63110. Make checks out to “EWMC Coat Drive.”