USW Cares: Local Union 6996 donates thousands of hand-made toys and books to locked-out ATI workers

ATI workers have been illegally locked out for more than four months, but their holidays will still be merry and bright because of the kindness and generosity from fellow union brothers and sisters at Local Union 6996 in Reading, Pa.

Local Union 6996 has partnered with American Income Life and Wood-to-Wonderful, a non-profit organization in Reading that supports many community programs, to provide over 1,000 hand-made wooden toys, hundreds of books and Toys R’ Us gift cards to the members of ATI locals in Pennsylvania.

This partnership doesn’t just benefit our locked-out members, though; it has become a fixture in the Reading community. They’ve launched a successful litter prevention program called CAN IT to help keep their streets clean and increase community involvement in public health. Not only that, but 6996’s Women of Steel Committee coordinates a literacy program that provides books and hand-made wooden toys to 150 under-privileged elementary students at the local school every month.

Click here to learn more about this partnership.

On Wednesday, December 2, Jeffrey Hapke from American Income Life and Dean Showers from Local Union 6996 personally delivered the toys, books and gift cards to the USW headquarters. From there they will be distributed to the members of the locked-out ATI locals.

This project is just one of so many that the USW’s amazing members do every day to give back to our communities. If you or your local is doing good things, we want to hear about it! Please submit a nomination for a Jefferson Awards at usw.org/uswcares. Click Here to share articles, videos and photos with us and don’t forget to use the #USWCares hashtag and give a shoutout to @Steelworkers when you post your stories on social media.