In southern Indiana and other areas where a series of powerful and deadly tornadoes stuck late last week, union members are mobilizing to bring help to union families and others.

William “Bill” McCarthy, president of the AFL-CIO Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation (MRLF), is recipient of the 2012 United Way’s prestigious Joseph A. Beirne Community Services Award. As president of the MRLF and member of UNITEHERE! Local 17, McCarthy has dedicated his life to the pursuit of social and economic justice for workers and their families.

In a letter to local United Way chapters across the country, Brian A. Gallagher, president and CEO of United Way World Wide, urges the local offices to join with local labor councils and state federations as they mobilize for the AFL-CIO’s America Wants to Work campaign.

Judy Parkins, AFL-CIO director of Community Services, sends us this report.

The North Central Indiana AFL-CIO Council and United Way in South Bend are giving community members the opportunity to Adopt a Family and heat a home. Dawn Chapla, AFL-CIO Community Services liaison, wrote the grant that will match donated dollars for heating, provide free budget counseling and provide a case coordinator to develop and work on a plan of action.

Judy Parkins, AFL-CIO director of Community Services, sends us this report.

Members of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 124 in New Orleans and volunteers from the Prince of Wales Social Aid and Pleasure Club pitched in with Rebuild Together New Orleans in October.

Karen Gownley of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO reports on contacts for those in need after the floods in that state.   

Many parts of Pennsylvania were devastated by the September floods. The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO has a network of labor liaisons who are helping connect those who need help with those who can help.

In less than a year, Texas wildfires have consumed 3.6 million acres, roughly the size of Connecticut, notes Paul Begala, an affiliated professor of public policy at Georgetown and Daily Beast and CNN contributor. Four people have been killed and some 1,400 homes have been lost just in the most recent fire. Of the 10 largest wildfires in Texas history, six have occurred this year. Yet, as Begala points out:

Texas governor and GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry has cut funding for volunteer firefighters, who are the first responders to 90 percent of all wildfires in Texas, by 75 percent.

Bud Biscardo from United Way Worldwide reports on the kickoff of the 2011 United Way campaign.

Across the country, the AFL-CIO Community Services Network is kicking off the 2011 United Way campaign with union-sponsored events—rallies, golf outings, kickoff lunches and dinners. All these events have one goal: to show union members’ strong support for the United Way.

AFL-CIO Community Services Director Will Fischer sends us this report.

We are happy to introduce Nicole Fuller, our new AFL-CIO Community Services Liaison for the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania/Philadelphia Council.

Mark Caddo of the United Way of Greater Cincinnati, reports on union members and corporate executives who came together to rebuild a school playground in Walton, Ky.

The Early Learning Center at Walton-Verona Elementary School is nestled between two farms in the rolling hills of Walton, Ky., near Cincinnati. Late last month, with a heat index above 100 degrees, members of the UAW, United Steelworkers (USW), AFSCME and the Laborers (LIUNA) partnered with United Way of  Greater Cincinnati’s latest crop of  volunteer “loaned executives” from local businesses to help rebuild the school playground. The play area had been  destroyed by recent strong storm winds and  the wear and tear of  two years of daily school ground play.