Steelworkers Humanity Fund Contributes $100,800 to Canadian Food Banks

TORONTO, Nov. 30 /CNW/ - United Steelworkers' (USW) Canadian National Director Ken Neumann today announced the Steelworkers Humanity Fund is contributing $100,800 to food banks in Canadian communities where USW members live and work.

"Once again this year, the Steelworkers Humanity Fund, is pleased to be able to join with others in our communities and contribute to help alleviate the hardship faced by thousands of poor and vulnerable Canadians.  This includes many who have lost their jobs due to the impact of the global economic crisis, and have exhausted any EI to which they were entitled, and used up savings", said Neumann, the Steelworkers Humanity Fund's president.

"Each year the Steelworkers Humanity Fund makes contributions to food banks, but alarmingly the need keeps growing.  The fact is that in many of our communities we collectively are failing in our attempts to eliminate poverty', he said.  "And we will continue to fail until we start to see the elimination of poverty as a human rights obligation that requires positive, committed government action at all levels".

The number of Canadians using a food bank jumped 18% in 2009, the largest year-over-year increase on record.  The number of food bank users is close to the record set in 2004, meaning the gains of the past 5 years have been totally undone.

The Steelworkers Humanity Fund has endorsed the "Dignity for All" Campaign for a Poverty-Free Canada, and urges passage of Bills C-304 (mandating a federal strategy for accessible and affordable housing) and Bill C-545 (mandating a federal strategy to eliminate poverty and promote social inclusion) which are currently before Parliament in Ottawa.

For more information and a complete list of recipients of Humanity Fund contributions, please visit www.usw.ca.

For further information:

Contacts:						Ken Neumann, 416-487-1571; 416-558-2510; /
						Doug Olthuis, Executive Director, Steelworkers Humanity Fund, 416-544-5957 /