Steelworkers Humanity Fund Contributes $69,000 to Fort McMurray Recovery

EDMONTON, Oct. 12, 2016 /CNW/ - The Steelworkers Humanity Fund is contributing $69,000 to recovery efforts following the massive wild fires that swept through Fort McMurray and region earlier this year.

"The wild fires and evacuation have deeply affected individuals and families, not only for the physical destruction but the emotional trauma that many continue to struggle with," said Steelworkers Humanity Fund President Ken Neumann.

"The Steelworkers Humanity Fund is supporting three organizations that make special contributions to vulnerable and traumatized individuals and families, and can make good use of additional resources," Neumann said.

"The Steelworkers Humanity Fund is contributing $23,000 to each of the Canadian Mental Health Association (Wood Buffalo region), the Wood Buffalo Food Bank Association and the Edmonton Food Bank," said Jeff Kallichuk, a United Steelworkers (USW) staff representative in Edmonton.

"This support is possible thanks to Humanity Fund contributions by thousands of individual USW members in Alberta and across Canada and to special contributions of Steelworkers local unions that responded to the union's relief appeal," Kallichuk said.

The contributions announced today are in addition to a $10,000 contribution to the Red Cross announced by the Steelworkers Humanity Fund in May and do not include other relief funds provided through the Steelworkers union.

Founded in 1985, the Steelworkers Humanity Fund is a registered charitable organization that focuses primarily on development projects and emergency aid in developing countries, and supports Canadian communities in crisis. United Steelworkers members contribute to the fund through clauses negotiated into collective agreements. In some cases employers make matching contributions.

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)

Ken Neumann, President, Steelworkers Humanity Fund, 416-544-5951; Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, 416-544-5966, 416-434-2221, [email protected]; Jeff Kallichuk, USW Staff Representative, Edmonton, 780-487-1141, [email protected]