Community Services

2017 Board of Trustees

President
Jackie Jeter, President
ATU Local 689

Vice-President
Mike Murphy, Business Manager (Ret’d)
IUOE Local 99

Treasurer
Linda Bridges, Secretary-Treasurer
OPEIU Local 2

Secretary
Jenny Sylvester, Vice-President (Ret’d)
CWA Local 2108

Executive Committee Member
Dan Duncan, President (Ret’d)Northern Virginia Area Labor Federation

Board of Trustees Members

Seth Couslar, President
AFSCME Council 26

Julio Palamo
Assistant Business Manager
LiUNA Local 11

Randy Erwin, President
National Federation of Federal Employees

James Griffin, President
IBEW Local 1900

Ann Hoffman
National Writers Guild

Linda Martin, President
UNITE HERE Local 25

Maria Naranjo, Assistant District Leader
SEIU Local 32bj

Alex Thompson, President
Alex Thompson Associates, Inc.

Jos Williams, President (Ret’d)
Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO

Staff

Executive Director
Kathleen McKirchy
[email protected]
202-974-8221 (office)
202-974-8152 (fax)

Assistant Executive Director
Matt Losak
[email protected]
202-974-8226

Client Services Coordinator Coordinator, Bilingual Services
Sylvia Casaro Dietert
[email protected]
202-974-8223 (office)

Building Futures Graduates Celebrate Fresh Opportunities
Summer Program Recruitment Starts Now
6.12.17
Fourteen Building Futures students graduated from their six week intensive pre-apprenticeship program last Monday, June 12, in what was for many students and their families, an emotional journey leading to fresh opportunities in region’s construction industry. The ceremony included dozens of family members as well as instructors and mentors from Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 891 and Community Services Agency staff.

“I was once just a number,” said Marcelus Turner, citing his time in prison. “Now I am a new man with new opportunities and a chance to build something with my life.”

Like Turner, Building Futures graduates have overcome personal, economic and professional obstacles that have kept them out of productive career pathways. Over the course of the training, Building Futures staff work with students individually to remove or at least limit these obstacles while students learn essential construction industry skills.

The Building Futures program recruits DC residents who are disadvantaged by low income, criminal history and other obstacles to employment. The pre-apprenticeship training combines hands on construction skills training, with construction math, blue print reading, resume-writing and interviewing skills, on the job relationship building and time management, orientation to the construction industry and apprenticeship.

The students are very lucky to have access to hands-on experiences at several union apprenticeship programs in the area, and CSA is gratified for the support it receives from the trades.

Building Futures is a program of the Community Services Agency of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO.

Interested in applying? Recruitment starts now for the summer program beginning July 31st. Applications are due July 18th. Click HERE to download the Building Futures flyer.

Union Community Heading Out to the Ball Game,
Record Sales Likely This Year
5.9.2017

The Community Services Agency (CSA) has sold more than 4000 tickets so for the Friday, July 28th Labor Night at the Nats. CSA expects to beat last year’s record and sell at least 7,200 tickets.

Tickets can be bought individually, but larger group sales of 50 or more get special scoreboard recognition and are entered into a drawing for an autographed Nationals baseball.

“This is a fun way for union members and their families to support the critical work of CSA while enjoying some labor solidarity,” said Aaron Bast, Business Manager of Iron Workers local 5 which has purchased 500 tickets for its members. Other leading union purchasers include ATU local 689, IUOE local 99, the United Mineworkers, IBEW local 1200, AFGE District 14, UFCW local 400, IBT 639, IATSE local 22 and AFSCME Maryland, Council 3.

Tickets are just $15 each. Proceeds go to support CSA’s Emergency Assistance Fund which is dedicated to providing direct emergency financial assistance to union members in need.
To order tickets, email Kathleen McKirchy at [email protected], or call 202-974-8221.

photo: Chris Garlock

Spring Building Futures Program Underway
5/5/2017

The spring Building Futures program began Monday. A program of the Community services Agency (CSA), Building Futures began in 2007 to help DC residents in underserved communities learn entry level skills and certifications for careers in the union construction trades. The CSA runs four classes annually with approximately 20 students per class.

Students are trained at the Plasterers and Cement Mason’s union, Local 891 facility in northeast where they will earn certifications in Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA 10), CPR and First Aid/AED, Flagger and Scaffold User. Students also receive case management support to help remove obstacles commonly faced by disadvantaged workers including issues surrounding child care, resume writing, math improvement and interviewing and presentation skills. “For Building Futures students, our program is a first step into a stable, rewarding pathway to good union work,” said Sylvia Casaro-Dietert, who coordinates the program.

- photo: Job Developer Consultant Tia Watkins provides a program overview on Day 1; report/photo by Matt Losak, CSA Asst. Exec. Dir.

You can make a difference

How can you help?
Download our flyer below.

September 1, 2016

Click here to download the flyer above.

“I would like to express my appreciation for your generosity in support of me and my family during the fire at our home. Your donations helped in so many ways! Even though that day continues to play back in my mind, I learned that I have people that really care about me and my family.”
Member of Fire Fighters Local 36

“I have been though a few job training programs, but I want to say that Building Futures is the greatest - the staff really do care and helped me get into a union program and now I am a cement masons and plasterers apprentice!”Graduate of CSA’s Building Futures Construction pre-Apprenticeship Program

The Community Services Agency helps hundreds of workers and their families every year but only because of the generosity of local unions and their members. As we head into the colder months, that support is needed more than ever.

Here’s how YOU can help:

Make a direct donation: give securely online by clicking here now; no contribution is too small or too big!

Forward this widely to co-workers, friends and family: solidarity works!

Post this on your local’s website and circulate on social media.

Distribute the flyer at right to your members or co-workers: click here to download and pass along. For hard copies of the flyer, call 202 974-8221 or email [email protected]

Invite a speaker from CSA to address your executive board or union meetings this fall while the United Way, DC One Fund, CFC and Maryland Charity Campaigns are running. Contact me at 202-974-8221 or [email protected].

YOU make the difference: “Labor Cares - Labor Shares” Thank you for your support!