Patricia K. Solomon sent the following report from city management union Local 3144’s holiday party:
And The Toys Keep Right On Coming and Going
The annual Holiday gathering of approximately 200 current, retired and laid off members of AFSCME Local 3144 Management Union of the City of New Haven was held on Tuesday, December 16, 2008, at Anthony’s Oceanview. The guests, also known as the Secret Santa Brigade, did what they have done for the past fifteen years…They donated toys for some of the needy families in the Greater New Haven area. By the end of the evening, the toys overflowed their designated table and had to be stacked in piles on the floor.
A contingency of Secret Santas spent evening hours and their lunch hours organizing the toys by age group and then began to make up the “Santa Bags” for the families. Each child received at least two toys and their families received board games.
The toy distribution began the following day. There were hugs and tears and statements of gratitude from the parents to the Local 3144 Secret Santas. One parent screamed when she saw the fishing pole that her son really wanted; another cried openly because she had no idea that people (especially city employees) could be so generous and a recently unemployed father spoke of his frustration and fear about his family’s financial security.
THE TOYS KEEP COMING AND COMING. Members of Local 3144 and other members of the Santa Brigade who did not attend the party have, to date, continue to donate toys to the Secret Santa Drop-Off Location.
To date, approximately 250 to 300 children will have a brighter Holiday thanks to the union membership and friends. The toys were distributed to children of laid off city workers; families that were referred to the Toy Drive Coordinator by union membership and various city agencies (HUSKY and MANOS Program). Toys were also distributed to Varick Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry, SATU and children of students attending Sawyer School Externship Program headed by Ms. Dara Goodman.
AFSCME Local 3144 members are proud to work for the citizens of New Haven. In these troubled economic times, it’s imperative that individuals help our communities and our children.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Patricia K. Solomon, Toy Drive Coordinator