FARMINGTON, MO. - As a deepening recession
creates more St. Francois County families in
need, a partnership of local union electricians
and union electrical contractors is donating
$3,000 to help food pantries meet increasing
demand to feed those families. The Electrical
Connection's donation to the St.
Francois County Sheriff's Association
will help two St. Francois County food pantries
- St. Vincent De Paul and Ministerial
Alliance. Both report a 30 percent
increase in families needing assistance over
the last month, and a 75 to 100 percent increase
over the last year. The Electrical Connection
is a partnership of the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local
One and the
St. Louis Chapter, National Electrical
Contractors Association (NECA)
"As Electrical Connections members, we live
and work in this community. Each one of us knows
people being affected by the current economic
crisis," said Danny Miller,
owner of Farmington-based Total
Electric. "Businesses large and
small are closing or laying off workers, forcing
more families to turn to food pantries for help.
This year we wanted our donation to help as
many families as possible so Sheriff
Dan Bullock suggested supporting
the pantries to ensure the children and their
families have a full Christmas meal."
In November,
Piramal Glass in Park Hills,
Mo. announced it was laying off 190 workers
or 40 percent of its workforce. The recession
has also struck iconic businesses such as the
Dairy Bar, which will close at the end of the
year after 56 years as a Farmington landmark.
The
Missouri Department of Economic Development
reports that the county's unemployment rate
rose to 7.0 percent in October - up from 5.7
percent in October of 2007. (http://www.missourieconomy.org/regional/profile/?ac=2915000007#Section3)
This is the 14th consecutive year
that the Electrical Connection has supported
the St. Francois County Sheriff's Association.
This year's donation, made at Total
Electric, 605 Potosi Street in Farmington,
brings total Electrical Connection contributions
to $28,000. Last year, the organization donated
certificates for a Christmas ham from Mel's
Meat Market, in Farmington, Mo.
Members of the Electrical Connection provide safe and reliable electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services across eastern Missouri.
# # #
Editor's notes: The Electrical
Connection makes its offices at 5735
Elizabeth in South St. Louis, Mo. (63110).
The Electrical Connection has donated $3,000 to the
St. Francois County Sheriff's Association
to benefit area food pantries. On hand for
the Dec. 16, 2008 check presentation were (from
left) Dan King, International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local
One; Danny Miller, owner
of Total Electric; St. Francois
County Sheriff Dan Bullock; and
Dave Shaw, St. Louis Chapter,
National Electrical Contractors Association.
