Rochester – On February 27, The United Way of Greater Rochester and the AFL-CIO Community Services Committee kicked off the 2018 United Way Labor Fundraising Campaign. More than 200 members from the labor community joined together to honor Community Service Award winners at the Hyatt Regency and celebrated the 19 graduates who participated in this year’s Union Community Assistance Network (UCAN) training.
Several CSEA members participated and graduated from the 2018 UCAN training program this year, including Renee Kendrot (Rochester Public Library, CSEA Monroe County Local 828); Margaret Chatterton (Rochester Public Library, CSEA Monroe County Local 828); James D’Amico (President, Monroe County Employees Unit 7400/Local 828); Joanne Dunn (Monroe County Local 828); Angela Muscianese (Monroe County Local 828) and Carrie Chapman (Monroe Community College, Monroe County Local 828).
Left to Right: Margaret Chatterton, Renee Kendrot, James D’Amico, Carrie Chapman and Angela Musicianese. Not pictured: Joanne Dunn.
UCAN Graduation
For more than 40 years, United Way and AFL-CIO Community Services has trained union members to assist troubled co-workers through the Union Community Assistance Network. The training emphasizes the development of relationships with community partners while retaining a focus on member-to-member communications. The Union Community Assistance Network (UCAN) program’s goal is to expand labor’s presence in our communities. This year, 19 union members participated in the training to gain a better understanding of the social and economic conditions that contribute to workers’ everyday stresses, and learn how to help meet the human service needs of working families.
Bess Watts was awarded the Robert J. Flavin Community Service Award given to a local labor leader who shows an outstanding commitment and dedication to improving the quality of life for all who call Rochester and Monroe County home.
Community Service Awards
- Richard M. Downey Heart of Gold Award: Teamsters Local 118
- Robert J. Flavin Community Service Award: Bess Watts, President, CSEA Monroe County Local 828
- Ray Samson Labor Legacy Award: Margaret Sergent, Rochester Teachers Association
The United Way of Greater Rochester’s mission is to unite the good will and resources of the Greater Rochester community so that everyone can thrive. Teaming up with the local labor community, we collectively address critical challenges by connecting local people in need with evidence-based programs, strategic funding investments, community initiatives, volunteer support and community leadership to direct resources and solve problems.
For more than two decades, CSEA has been one of the top donors to the annual campaign fund for the United Way of Greater Rochester.
United Way Labor Campaign
Chaired by Faheem Masood, President & CEO of ESL Federal Credit Union, the 2018 United Way campaign launched at the George Eastman Museum in January with more than 500 leadership donors, community leaders, members of labor, volunteers and non-profit service providers in attendance. Each year the members of the organized labor community raise more than $5 million as a part of the annual United Way campaign.
-Ove Overmyer
