IAM District 77 members recently 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 alongside IAM Midwest Territory staff and retired Chief of Staff Luther Williams. The group focused on landscaping tasks such as removing overgrown trees and roots, pulling weeds, laying mulch, and washing porches and decks. Their efforts aimed to create a more welcoming environment for veterans transitioning out of homelessness.
This marks the third year that IAM District 77 has partnered with MAC-V. The council is dedicated to ending veteran homelessness in Minnesota by providing support services to veterans in need.
“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 project is part of the IAM H.E.L.P.S. Program (Honoring, Engaging, Lifting, Providing, and Servicing), which was co-founded by Williams. This program encourages IAM members throughout the Midwest Territory to provide support for underserved groups including veterans, seniors, and working families.
“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.”
