John Padget, labor liaison for the Cedar Valley (Iowa) United Way, reports on a fundraiser by union motorcycle riders to help children read to grade level.

Last weekend, dozens of union motorcycle riders, members of the Community Ride in the Cedar Valley/Waterloo, Iowa, area, came together for an ”I Can Read Ride”  fundraiser to help school children who are struggling to read at grade level. Community Ride consists of union members from a variety of unions who share a common interest in motorcycles and a desire to see our community become  a better place to live, work and raise a family. The riders raised just more than $3,000.

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.

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

We are excited to introduce our new AFL-CIO Community Service Liaison for the Erie-Crawford Central Labor Council in Pennsylvania, Ron Oliver. A Steelworker for more than 20 years, Oliver has long been involved with United Steelworkers (USW) Local 3199, USW District 10, the central labor council and community services.

Scott Brink, business agent for Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) Local 85 lets us know about union members who helped give a facelift to a community park in Saginaw, Mich.  

When UA Local 85 were asked to help out upgrading the facilities at Deindorfer Woods Park in Sagina, Mich., members quickly and eagerly  agreed.

With temperatures hitting triple digits across the country, not everyone has the means to stay cool. In St. Joseph, Mo., the AFL-CIO Community Services agency is  offering fans and air conditioners to those who need them.

Josh Cazares, southern regional director of the AFL-CIO Community Services, reports on a volunteer effort by Nashville union members.

More than 30 union volunteers earlier this month built and put up a partition wall to create two needed classrooms for the Edgehill Center in Nashville, Tenn. The new classrooms will allow the center’s highly successful Read to Succeed program to expand.

Karen Gownley of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO reports on the state federation’s Community Services Institute.

The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO welcomed nearly 90 delegates to its 52nd annual Community Services Institute in Pittsburgh. The five-day event, which ended yesterday,  focused on building a stronger, highly respected labor movement through community services events and programs.