The need remains, but the energy, compassion and solidarity continue to grow as union brothers and sisters dedicated their day to serve fellow union members and Atlantic City residents in need at a food distribution on Thursday, June 11.
The food distribution sponsored by the New Jersey State AFL-CIO and its affiliated unions, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey delivered emergency food kits and fruits and vegetables to hundreds of drive-in and walk-up visitors to Bader Field in Atlantic City. What the visitors also received were dignity and hope.
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”20″ display=”basic_imagebrowser”]“Hospitality workers in Atlantic County have been hit incredibly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. They are struggling to feed their families,” said Donna M. DeCaprio, Financial Secretary-Treasurer of UNITE HERE Local 54. “It has been amazing to see the unions and the casino industry come together in this collaborative effort to feed Atlantic City.“The workers and residents of Atlantic City are so grateful to the local affiliates, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, the Community FoodBank, CRDA and the all other donors. It has been an honor to be involved in this project.”
The COVID-19-related shutdown of the Atlantic City casino industry has left the region one of the hardest-hit areas in the country. The New Jersey State AFL-CIO and its affiliates, the CRDA and the FoodBank are sponsoring these distributions as a hand up, not a handout, to reduce food insecurity among people who were thrown out of work through no fault of their own.
The well-organized distribution followed all health guidelines, as families – sometimes several families per car – popped their car trunks or hatches and volunteers from unions representing every sector of labor from Atlantic City and the nearby region hefted the meal kits, the produce and the baked goods into the cars for them. IATSE, IUOE, Teamsters, UNITE HERE and others stood with their union brothers and sisters in need, and with the entire Atlantic City community.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO expresses our deepest thanks to our union brothers and sisters and their families for their hard work and continuing solidarity with their casino industry co-workers and for their sweat and elbow grease on Thursday. They are a shining example of labor values in action.
These union-led food distributions will continue as long as the need remains. The next one is scheduled for June 25. We want our brothers and sisters to know we are there for them, so in the spirit of solidarity, please be generous in this time of crisis.
Please make checks payable to our 501(c)(3) account.
New Jersey State AFL-CIO Community Services Agency Inc.
106 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608