{"id":3561,"date":"2025-05-01T13:48:50","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T17:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitedwaysem.org\/?post_type=impact_story&p=3561"},"modified":"2026-01-29T15:15:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T20:15:05","slug":"making-seasons-bright","status":"publish","type":"impact_story","link":"https:\/\/unitedwaysem.org\/es\/impact-stories\/making-seasons-bright\/","title":{"rendered":"Iluminando las temporadas: Labor y United Way"},"template":"","class_list":["post-3561","impact_story","type-impact_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","topic-labir"],"acf":{"details":{"featured_image":3575,"quote":"This is about one of the best things that happens during the Christmas season,","citation":" Michael Martin, chairman of UAW Local 174","topic":[292],"program_theme":false,"button_text":"Read More"},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_impact_story_hero","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_impact_story_hero":{"kicker_text":"Labor and United Way","heading":"Making Seasons Bright","summary":"","image":3575,"cta":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"Durante un d\u00eda m\u00e1gico de diciembre, IBEW Local 252's<\/a>\u00a0business hall is transformed into a winter wonderland complete with snowy d\u00e9cor, festive trees and the North Pole\u2019s most famous residents.\r\n\r\nTwenty students from Rawsonville Elementary School in Ypsilanti gather in the space as Mrs. Claus reads a story about animals finding a warm home for the winter. Soon there is food, crafts, photos and a visit from Santa all leading up to the most awaited moment of the day: presents.\r\n\r\nThis is no ordinary holiday party. This is a Labor of Love.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe whole Labor of Love event is funded by labor,\u201d said Rella Bitner, AFL-CIO Labor Liaison at United Way for Southeastern Michigan. \u201cIt\u2019s been a thirty-year program, and I try to keep up that tradition because the need in our community is still so great.\u201d","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_group","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_group":{"version":"3","header":{"":null,"show_arrows":false,"heading":"","subheading":"","abstract":""},"columns":[{"image":3573,"title":"","abstract":"","button":""},{"image":3565,"title":"","abstract":"","button":""},{"image":3577,"title":"","abstract":"","button":""}]}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"Labor and United Way have worked side-by-side for more than 80 years to improve the lives of working families.\r\n\r\nRoughly 30 years ago, Shelia Pederson\u2019s local Regi\u00f3n 1A de la UAW<\/a> started the Adopt-a-Child program to provide presents for children in need during the holiday. In 2010, when Shelia took on the role of United Way Community Service Liaison, she brought the program with her.\r\n\r\nOver the years, the program has evolved, but the objective remained the same. During COVID, the program\u2019s name was changed to Gift and Go, in which Santa\u2019s helpers focused on home gift deliveries to spread the Christmas cheer.","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_group","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_group":{"version":"3","header":{"":null,"show_arrows":false,"heading":"","subheading":"","abstract":""},"columns":[{"image":3564,"title":"","abstract":"","button":""},{"image":3562,"title":"","abstract":"","button":""},{"image":3578,"title":"","abstract":"","button":""}]}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"\u201cIt\u2019s my goal to not only take care of the working families in Washtenaw County, but also the children,\u201d said Shelia. \u201cThis time of year, kids can really be hurt by missing out on gifts or other celebrations because their family can\u2019t afford it.\u201d\r\n\r\nShelia remains involved in the program even after retiring. This year, she stood proud as head elf assisting Mrs. Claus.\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/unitedwaysem.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Volunteers-for-Labor-of-Love-event-scaled.jpg\")
","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"\u201cTo actually see the gifts we give the kids being appreciated, it\u2019s special,\u201d said Michael.\r\n\r\nThe students\u2019 delight was palpable as impromptu Christmas carols rang out across the room.\r\n\r\nAs the event ended and the children were loaded back onto their school, the resource room teacher, Sammie Tanana, gave a heartfelt speech of gratitude to the volunteers.\r\n\r\n\u201cWe\u2019ve got kids who have incarcerated parents, kids who are in foster care and kids who are homeless all within this trip,\u201d said Sammie. \u201cYou might not tell through their smiling faces, but they go through so much. You guys make a huge difference, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.\u201d","":null,"settings":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_group","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_group":{"version":"3","header":{"":null,"show_arrows":false,"heading":"","subheading":"","abstract":""},"columns":[{"image":3588,"title":"","abstract":"","button":""},{"image":3587,"title":"","abstract":"","button":""},{"image":3590,"title":"","abstract":"","button":""}]}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"\u00bfQuiere marcar la diferencia como voluntario? Acceda a las \u00faltimas oportunidades en nuestro portal<\/a> \u00a1Hoy!","":null,"settings":""}}]},"yoast_head":"\n