Buffalo, NY – In Response to the Trump Administration’s assault On Federal ‘Life-And-Death Programs,’ WNY labor partners and community groups distributed food to those in need.
The Trump Administration’s assault on “life-and-death” programs like SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) spurred the New York State AFL-CIO to take action and institute an effort called – Labor Feeds NY: A Week of Action Against Hunger. Between the rising costs of groceries and the disruption of SNAP benefits during the Republican’s recent shutdown of the Federal Government, Working Families across New York were put at risk with more than three million New Yorkers facing a hunger crisis, according to State AFL-CIO Officials.
As such, New York’s union movement declared it would “not stand by while our neighbors go hungry” and initiated a statewide week of action that ran from November 15th through the 23rd.
During that time, State AFL-CIO Labor Federations, their Central Labor Councils, individual unions and their members heard the call to action and got involved, coming together to donate hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of non-perishable food to local pantries and school-based food programs – as well as contribute monetarily to hunger relief organizations that are making a difference in their communities.
Every act of solidarity, large or small, is working to help make a difference for families in need, the State AFL-CIO said. The Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation mobilized. They worked with its affiliated member unions and the 145,000 members they represent.
On Saturday November 22nd, the WNYALF held a news conference at 1199 Service Employees International Union’s (SEIU) Buffalo Union Hall with representatives of the Community Action Organization (CAO) and Assistant Pastor Elder Eric Campbell of the Greater Faith Bible Tabernacle, among others. They announce the collection of $5,000 in monetary donations which was presented to FeedMore WNY, a Food Pantry Distributor. Also collected was hundreds of pounds of non-perishable food items to be distributed to churches, food pantries and other outlets across the Western New York Region to help those in need. In attendance from the area Labor Community was: The Communications Workers of America (CWA); the International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT) District Council 4; the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA); the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT); the United Auto Workers (UAW) and 1199 SEIU; as well as representatives from the New York State Foundation for Fair Contracting and the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County.
WNYALF President Denise Abbott said: “It is a time of uncertainty and growing need in Western New York and our country. With the longest Government shutdown in our Nation’s history ‘finally ended and the Trump Administration’s continued attacks on life-and-death programs like SNAP, the labor movement will not stand by as workers, families and their children go hungry.
Let me be clear. In the United States, the richest nation in history, no one should go hungry – period. And we will not tolerate the inhumanity and greed that starves working class families.”
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