Puget Sound Labor Agency needs your help

The following is from the Board of Directors of the Puget Sound Labor Agency, AFL-CIO:

SEATTLE (April 21, 2015) — After 40 years of service to the community, and to union families in particular, the doors of the Puget Sound Labor Agency may soon close.

Since 1975 the PSLA and its volunteers have been building wheelchair ramps for disabled citizens who can’t afford to install them and providing a union member emergency assistance program in partnership with union locals. But most know the PSLA for its Food Bank, operated out of the Seattle Labor Temple from 8 a.m. to noon Monday and Friday, which is a vital resource for the community, providing groceries and other necessities to families in need.

But after 40 years, the PSLA faces closure due to an extraordinary financial crisis of our own. We stood strong through the recent recession and helped a lot of union members and community families and now we are facing our own “recession” and find ourselves in urgent need of your assistance.

For the past year and a half the Management and the Board have trimmed the budget, we have expanded our sources for food donations needed to run our organization. The dedicated team of volunteers, along with Management and Current Board of Directors share in the commitment to provide the best labor sponsored community services to the labor community. The need of the community we serve has continually increased and the donations simply have not met the need. Though we have tightened every bit of the budget we can, The Puget Sound Labor Agency is in a financial hole, we need more donations, on a consistent monthly basis to keep our doors open. We can serve another 40 years with your help.

This is an extremely difficult situation to deal with despite the skill and dedication of our current staff. The survival of the Puget Sound Labor Agency is essential to the labor community, especially in times of greater need due to strikes, plant closings or economic downturns, for example.

We need the financial support of the labor community. Your organizational contributions will make the difference between continuing the 40 year legacy of the PSLA or, just closing our doors. Employee charitable giving programs and individual contributions are also essential. Contributions can be in the form of a one time donation, however monthly or quarterly donations will help sustain the agency. Donations can also be made on the www.pslaonline.org website.

The Food Bank is currently serving an average of 661 union members a month, which is up from an average of 463 members who visited the food bank in 2014. The PSLA Food Bank will serve an estimated 40,000 individuals more than 478,000 pounds of nutritious food this year. The need for our service has increased by as much as 155% from last year.

It costs just $7.55 for one person to receive a 22-pound bag of groceries nine times a month! If a union member could pledge a reoccurring donation of $7.55 a month, just imagine the number of families you could provide for.

We need your help! Please step up and support our Puget Sound Labor Agency– a vital part of our labor community. Please send contributions to PSLA, 2800 First Ave, Room 126, Seattle, WA 98121 or contact your payroll department for the code for contributions through your employer for monthly contributions.

If you have questions regarding the services currently being offered at PSLA, please contact Lynn at 206-669-1857 or Morgan at 206-669-2128.

Morgan Stine, Food Bank Director, with the assistance of additional PSLA staff will be reaching out to the unions – please be receptive and help us keep this worth while organization around for another 40 years.