A few dozen boxes of canned goods were distributed immediately before and after Christmas, free of charge to recipients who needed them, thanks to the Columbia Central Labor Council(CLC).
The food was collected in 2017 in South Carolina by members of the Office & Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) 277, all of whom are field reps for American Income Life Insurance Company(AIL), the only 100% union-label insurance company in North America. AIL does business in 49 states as well as Canada and New Zealand.
It was stored at the SC AFL-CIO offices. Columbia CLC and SC AFL volunteers assisted with separating and sorting the goods and removing outdated items. Pictured below: Donna Dewitt(SC ARA), Ann Swartz(AFGE 1915), Sandy Squirewell(ITPEU 4873 at Ft. Jackson, CLC Pres.), Liz O'Cain(CWA 3207) and Harold Gettings(SMART 399).
AIL Public Relations Mgr. Bill Sauers lives in Royal Palm Beach, Fla., but is a member of the Greater Columbia CLC and attends meetings in person numerous times a year, balancing his attendance with schedules around the Carolinas as well as Florida.
"Collecting food is a regular thing for us each year," he said. "We are pleased to help the contribution process not only to union food banks but also community food banks."
Half of the goods were distributed to rural residents with the help of a couple of churches in Newberry and Union Counties before Christmas.
The other half went to the Connie Maxwell Children's Home in Orangeburg immediately after Christmas and were delivered by CLC member Curtis Randolph(CWA 3207). Pictured below left to right: Claflin Kennerly with Connie Maxwell Home, and Randolph.