Suzin Bartley (Vice President), Michael Burns (President and Local 17 Business Agent), Mary Joyce, and Robert Pacitti.
Shown (from left, back row) are: Brendan Carney, Festus Joyce (Former President, Retired Local 17 Financial Secretary/Treasurer),
Jennifer Ford, Charlie Tevnan, Jay Wright (Local 17), Frederick Williams (Treasurer), and Sean Hayward (Local 17).
Dorchester, MA Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 donated $20,000 for children across Boston this week at its annual Man and Woman of the Year Awards. Friends For Children, which was founded by Local 17 members, supports children who have been abused or neglected or who are suffering from disease and poverty.
Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 Business Agent and Friends For Children president Michael Burns credits the organization's success to its many partnerships with individuals across the city who work with survivors of domestic violence, ill children, low-income families and homeless residents. ?
South Boston community leader Robert Pacitti and Brookview House CEO Deborah Hughes were singled out for their exemplary contributions to Boston's underserved communities as Man and Woman of the Year.
??"Every child should have clean clothes and food on the table. Every child should be able to do their homework in a safe place or play a sport or an instrument after school. Every child should have a safe place to sleep each night. This important work, carried out by leaders like Robert and Deborah, directly provides families the services and guidance to work their way out of poverty," Burns said. ??
Burns also noted that the organization is 100% volunteer run, many of whom are Local 17 members. ?
"Local 17 has been the backbone of Friends For Children," he said. "Everyone who works here volunteers their time. Together, we've given hundreds of thousands of dollars right back to the families and kids in our communities. We're here to make a difference." ?
Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 member Lee Woodsworth founded Friends For Children in the mid-1970s. Since the foundation's inception, dozens of community organizations have received funds from Friends For Children, including:
· City Singers
· Children's Trust Fund
· Cradles to Crayons
· Elizabeth Stone House
· Fitzgerald Community School
· The Furbish Children Fund
· The Gavin Foundation
· Health Baby / Healthy Child
· Holy Family Enrichment
· Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House
· MR8 Foundation
About Friends For Children?
Friends for Children offers warmth, compassion and direction to families in need of care for their children. We believe no family should experience the hardship, suffering and pain that comes with not finding care for their children in need. We give hope and joy to children who suffer from abuse, neglect or disease and we offer support to the parents and community members that can make a difference in the lives of children.
About Sheet Metal Workers Local 17
Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 is a building trade union representing more than 2,700 skilled and licensed workers throughout Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. We stand together as the most highly trained professionals in the industry, bringing the top safety standards and quality to every project.
