Today I visited workers from the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 104 District 2 Apprenticeship Program who donated their time while gaining on-the-job experience installing a heating unit in an aging Oak Park home. The furnace, duct work and materials were generously donated by DDK Mechanical, Inc., Liberty Duct, WV Alton, Inc., and BOS Sheet Metal, Inc. The house, owned by Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, will accommodate AmeriCorps volunteers trained to assist local residents with free income tax preparation and claiming the important Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The VITA/EITC program is designed for low- to moderate-income taxpayers who wish to keep more of their hard-earned income. I’m very grateful to all involved in this truly synergetic effort: the Sheet Metal Workers Union Apprentice Program, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, AFL-CIO Community Services, Sacramento Central Labor Council, United Way, and the IRS’s VITA/EITC program.
Pictured with me from left to right are Kelly Siefkin, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services; Matt Kelly, Sacramento Building and Construction Trades; Greg Larkins, UW-AWL-CIO Community Services; Randy Young, Sheet Metal Workers Union; Tim Coupe; David Reinken; Ivan Solorzano; David Macha; back row: Mark Paavola; and Pano Skrandros from the Sheet Metal Workers Union Apprentice Program.