IAM District 77 members have volunteered with the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MAC-V) to help improve a transitional home for veterans in St. Paul, Minnesota. Members from Locals 469, 737, 1575, and 112 worked with IAM Midwest Territory staff and retired Chief of Staff Luther Williams to clear overgrown trees and roots, pull weeds, lay mulch, and clean porches and decks. The goal was to create a more welcoming space for veterans moving out of homelessness.
This marks the third consecutive year that IAM District 77 has collaborated with MAC-V. The council works to end veteran homelessness throughout Minnesota.
“IAM Union members do not just show up on the shop floor, we show up to assist in our neighborhoods, at our food banks, and at homes like this one,” said IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Sam Cicinelli. “We fight hard not only in the workplace, but we also bring that same energy to supporting our veterans, families, and our communities in need.”
The volunteer effort is part of the IAM H.E.L.P.S. Program (Honoring, Engaging, Lifting, Providing, and Servicing), which was co-founded by Williams. The program encourages union members across the Midwest Territory to support groups such as veterans, seniors, and working families who are underserved.
“We are here to help our communities, where we work, live, and play,” said Williams. “The IAM decided to start these community events to show that our union is not just in the workplace – and to get our name out there, showing what it means to be a union member and a union advocate.”