PLATTSBURGH — Inflation and cuts to SNAP benefits are taking a toll on working families, especially during the holiday season.
Before Thanksgiving, CSEA’s Clinton County Local organized a food drive to help neighbors in need.
Members who donated five or more items received a $25 Aldi gift card. The effort resulted in two carloads of food donated to Joint Council for Economic Opportunity (JCEO) to support its pantry programs in Clinton and Franklin counties.
Clinton County Local President Cindy Gallicchio, who along with other local officers conceived and organized the food drive, said the generosity was overwhelming. Although the gift cards were only for CSEA members who contributed, managers at county offices and employees outside the bargaining unit also stepped up.
For Gallicchio, the drive was a way to give back to the community while also giving a small boost to CSEA members, many of whom are also feeling the weight of economic uncertainty.
“This quick and impactful effort allowed us to support our members as well as our community,” said Gallicchio. “It was a great success.”
— Therese Assalian