4 February 2010

Locals urged to send funds for Haitian children

The Media and Communications Workers of Alberta (MCWA) is spearheading a national drive among CWA|SCA Canada Locals to raise funds for children in earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

Director Arnold Amber says the national union has agreed to act as treasurer for the campaign, which will aggregate donations to Save the Children Canada (SCC). "Once all the donations are in, we will write one large cheque to the organization."

There's no time to lose. The Canadian government will match donations to Haiti, but only until next Friday, Feb. 12.

Chris Carolan, president of Local 30223 (Victoria-Vancouver Island Newspaper Guild), says he contacted SCC to ascertain what percentage of donations goes to administrative costs and was told that 83 cents of every dollar goes to children in Haiti.

Luis Rufo, secretary-treasurer of the Alberta Local, says sending money to children in Haiti "is a perfect way for us to help them in this desperate time of need."

The Canadian campaign mirrors a similar one in the United States where CWA Locals are sending their contributions to the American wing of Save the Children.