As you will read in this magazine, the Desert States Charitable Foundation (DSCF) held its annual golf tournament fundraiser in April. This event raises thousands of dollars each year to support important causes throughout our community.
Our union, UFCW Local 99, is a long-time partner with the DSCF, and together our combined efforts help strengthen our presence across the Southwestern United States.
For nearly 30 years, the DSCF has supported charities that step up for families in need of help. For example, the charity benefits the March of Dimes, which works to end birth defects. It also supports Best Buddies, which empowers people with intellectual disabilities by matching them with jobs and training to help them be self-sufficient.
DSCF additionally supports:
- Casa Maria, a kitchen that serves nutritious meals to 400 single people and 80 families every day. Its workers also advocate for the housing needs of the people they serve.
- Lions Camp Tatiyee, which provides camping experiences and other assistance to disabled and special-needs children, giving them a lasting sense of belonging.
- The Professional Fire Fighter Foundation for Burns and Trauma, which aids victims of fires and has a children’s camp of its own.
- Blood Cancer United (BCU), formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), which has spent more than 75 years redefining what is possible after a blood cancer diagnosis, improving outcomes and the lives of blood cancer patients and their families. Through programs like Light the Night, BCU has invested more than $1.8 billion in research to advance breakthrough therapies. UFCW Local 99 is proud to be a long-time supporter of BCU through the DSCF, and we look forward to the day when leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers are easily preventable and treatable.
- Thanks to the support of DSCF, Labor’s Community Service Agency operates its Emergency Relief Fund, which provides immediate cash to union families that are struggling financially. They can use the money for medication, groceries, gas or whatever they need. It doesn’t fix everything, but it can help take the pressure off during family emergencies.
It is important for Local 99 and the Desert States Charitable Foundation to work together, building awareness and enhancing our union’s reputation in the community. In this way, our combined efforts raise the profile of our union and its membership, which in turn helps fortify our effectiveness in collective bargaining, organizing and political advocacy.
Just as importantly, Local 99’s charitable work fosters the spirit of activism for our membership, which is the ultimate foundation for a stronger union.
