SUPPORTING FAMILIES IN NEED

LEFT: Volunteers continue to pack and distribute food throughout the week.

LOCAL 17 DONATES $2,500 CONDENSER TO COMMON GROUND CAFÉ

Common Ground Café in Haverhill, Massachusetts isn’t your usual coffee shop. For nearly 10 years, the Café has worked with elderly, low-income, and homeless individuals to meet basic needs for food, clothing, housewares, and personal care items. Any community members in need are welcome to visit the Café for a warm cup of coffee and a space to socialize.

Local 17 member Wayne Zanchi is one of the many dedicated volunteers who help run Common Ground Café. During cold New England winters, the Café serves as a warm space for homeless individuals in the Haverhill area. But this summer, Zanchi noticed the Café was much less comfortable. Without a compressor, the Café didn’t have air conditioning on long summer days when temperatures can top 90°F. When Zanchi shared the story with Local 17, our Brothers and Sisters stepped up. This fall, members of Local 17 installed a new condenser for free — an in-kind donation valued at $2,500. Thanks to the hard work and generosity of Local 17 members, Common Ground Café will be a comfortable place for volunteers, community members, and visitors all year round. Learn more about Common Ground Café at cgmcafe.org.

TOP RIGHT: Business Agent Mike Sheehan, Member Wayne Zanchi, Common Ground Café Director Ron Mills BOTTOM RIGHT: Wayne Zanchi wrote a letter to Local 17’s Executive Board, asking for a condenser to complete the Cafe’s recent renovations.