Local Building Trade Unions Donate Funds to Cover Three Months of Heat Costs for Meta House, a Local Nonprofit

[12/19/2022] On Tuesday, December 20, at 8:00am, representatives of The Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council (MBCTC) will present a check in the amount of $14,000 to Meta House to cover heating costs for the months of January, February, and March 2023.

For the third year in a row, the Milwaukee Building Trades has mobilized their partners for an annual “Heat for the Holidays” campaign which has made this donation possible. Generous donors include: Painters & Allied Trades DC7, Electrical Workers #494, Heat & Frost Insulators #19, Laborers #113, Plumbers #75, Operators #139, Sheet Metal Workers #18, Teamsters #200, Operative Plasters & Cement Masons #599, Bricklayers #8, Bricklayers District Council, Iron Workers #8, Steamfitters #601, Roofers #65, Boilermakers #107, Elevators #15, Tile Layers #5, EmpowHer, Carpenters & Joiners #2283, Painters & Allied Trades #781, Plumbing Mechanical Sheet Metal Contractor Alliance, Inc, Sprinklerfitters #183, and Milwaukee Building Trades.

Dan Bukiewicz, President of the Milwaukee Building Trades said “The mission at Meta House is simple and direct. Take care of the people who need it, when they need it, so they may better take care of themselves and their families. This belief is exactly what the Milwaukee Building Trades practices every day. MBCTC provides individuals the opportunities to be trained cost free for family supporting careers in the construction trades – all while investing back into community organizations like the Meta House. I want to thank each and every Union and organization who generously donated to Heat for the Holidays. You are all helping change lives. This truly shows how the Union Building Trades are not only building careers but communities at the same time.”

Tom Coyne, Business Rep for IUPAT DC7 & President of the Waukesha County Labor Council shares his gratitude “Thank you, LABOR, for being the people in the community that help out in the community. It’s outstanding to have 100% participation in this event from all locals in the Milwaukee Building Trades. Helen Keller said it best ‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.’”

Meta House is a local nonprofit that works to end the generation cycle of addiction by healing women and strengthening their families. The agency offers various levels of support including residential treatment, outpatient treatment, and a recovery housing community. During regular operations, Meta House serves over 500 women and 300 children every year.

“Meta House is deeply grateful for the incredible generosity of the Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council” said Valerie P. Vidal, President and CEO of Meta House. “For the third year in a row, their dedicated partnership ensures that local families have a warm and nurturing place to heal while they get back on their feet and establish a foundation for lifelong health and wellness.”

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County helped coordinate the donation between labor unions and Meta House, both long-standing United Way community partners.

Valerie Vidal and representatives from the Milwaukee Building Construction and Trades Council are available for interviews following the check presentation.

Originally chartered in 1910, The Milwaukee Building & Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO (MBCTC), is dedicated to integrating into the community and focusing not only on “bread and butter” unionism, but encompassing a broad spectrum of economic and social objectives. Learn more at Milwbuildingtrades.org.

Meta House ends the generational cycle of addiction by healing women and strengthening families. Learn more at Metahouse.org.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.