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Every year, the UFCW Charity Foundation scholarship program offers scholarships to UFCW members or their immediate family members who want to further their education and demonstrate a commitment to their communities and to UFCW values.  The fund has distributed more than $2 million in scholarships since 1958.

Past winners have gone on to make significant contributions to society and to the UFCW – entering a range of fields, including public service, medicine, law, business and teaching.  Many have returned to the UFCW as staffers, organizers, and community activists who contribute to our mission.

“We’re proud that the UFCW Charity Foundation provides scholarships to UFCW members and their families because it makes going to college more accessible to more people,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone. “Our union is committed to eliminating any obstacles to opportunity. We want hard-working people to be able to earn the skills and education they need to build better lives.”

Here are this year’s winners:

Region 1:

Walter Henry

Local 2D

Henry is a freshman at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut, where he is studying government and international relations. In his application, he discussed how unions shaped his life, including the important role of his father, a long-time UFCW member.

“My strengths, my character and my successes have all been shaped by the people that fought for me and the unions that fought for them,” said Henry. “Unions and what they stand for run deep in my family and me.”

Region 2:

Satta Samura

Local 400

Samura works for Kaiser Permanente and is pursuing a master’s degree. She highlighted the importance of being a member of the UFCW in her application.

“The union gives me the opportunity to have a safe working environment. It also gives me the opportunity to be compensated for my services by being well paid with good benefits. The union also gives me the opportunity to be heard. It gives me peace of mind knowing that my job is safe.”

Region 4:

Dakota Bichara

Local 880

Bichara is a freshman at Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio, where she is studying medical lab sciences. In her application, she highlighted the importance of her UFCW Local 880 membership and how it provided her with the stability to focus on her studies.

“I consider my Local 880 to be my work family and that family is part of my community,” said Bichara. “I am grateful that I have the opportunity to further my education so as to build a better life for myself, my family and my community.”

Region 5:

Gabriel Harris

Local 1996

Harris attends the University of Georgia and is pursuing a degree in genetics. In his application, he discussed the positive role unions have played in his family history.

“Union membership has benefited my family directly through higher wages, better work conditions and benefits, because for over 50 years my family has been part of a union,” Harris said. “My maternal grandmother and grandfather were part of the UFCW Local 770 from the 1960s….As a young man, I understand the importance unions have contributed to society and the betterment of my life personally.”

Region 6:

Casey Vileta

Local 881

Vileta is a freshman at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, where he is studying aerospace engineering and piloting. In his application, he talked about how his father’s union job as a member of UFCW Local 881 provided for his family growing up and how he ended up joining the same union himself.

“Union workers are empowered, they have a voice they never had before,” said Vileta. “Work conditions continue to get better because the labor union is committed to protect and represent its members.”

Region 7:

Katera Moberg

Local 7R

Moberg is a freshman at Front Range Community College in Westminster, Colorado, where she is studying biology.

In her application, she discussed the importance of her mom’s union job as a member of UFCW Local 7R to the stability of her whole family growing up.

“Because of [my mom’s union], I feel like my family and I are a lot closer” said Moberg. “We aren’t struggling financially anymore….Unions greatly benefit the lives of many, and I am a firm believer in them because of my own personal experiences.”

Region 8:

Andy Song

Local 770

Song is now a freshman at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he is studying psychobiology. In his application, he discussed the importance of the health insurance provided by his father’s job as a member of UFCW Local 770.

“Our union insurance was there to help carry my family through the rising costs of our health,” said Song. “It was a safety net for when we stumbled at the sight of another medical issue. The union prevented us from drowning under the waterfall of health issues threatening the safety of our family.”

Canada:

Erin McDonagh

Local 1518

In her application, McDonough, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree, spoke about the important role the UFCW has played in her life.

“The UFCW has been a home for my family and I for 35 years,” she said. “Being the daughter of a union member has meant security to my family. I never once had to worry about whether my father was going to lose his job. Our family never had to worry about our father working more hours and being paid less than someone doing the same job as him. We never had to worry about uprooting our family and moving. Being in a union family has meant that I was able to grow up in one location and create meaningful relationships with people and develop a solid foundation in my town.”

Every year the UFCW scholarship program offers scholarships to UFCW members or their immediate family members who want to further their education and demonstrate a commitment to their communities and to UFCW values.  Since 1958, the fund has distributed more than $2 million in scholarships.*

Past winners have gone on to make significant contributions to society and to the UFCW – entering a range of fields including public service, medicine, law, business and teaching.  Many have returned to the UFCW as staffers, organizers, and community activists who contribute to our mission.

*UFCW-employed officers and staff, and their immediate families are not eligible for this program.

Here are the winners for 2017:

Region 1:

JuliAnna Picardi
Local 328

Region 2:

Melissa Quintero Segura
Local 1208

Region 4:

Rebecca Price
Local 227

Region 5:

Alison Martin
Local 1995

Region 6:

Ellyse Kealy
Local 881

Region 7:

Matthew Moore
Local 555

Region 8:

Chelsea Diaz
Local 1428

Canada:

Michael Piaseczny
Local 175

Every year the UFCW scholarship program offers scholarships to UFCW members or their immediate family members who want to further their education and demonstrate a commitment to their communities and to UFCW values.  Since 1958, the fund has distributed more than $2 million in scholarships.*

Past winners have gone on to make significant contributions to society and to the UFCW – entering a range of fields including public service, medicine, law, business and teaching.  Many have returned to the UFCW as staffers, organizers, and community activists who contribute to our mission.

*UFCW-employed officers and staff, and their immediate families are not eligible for this program.

Here are this year’s winners:

Region 1:

Local 152 – Ana Grace Fangayen

Ana is now attending New York University in Manhattan, New York and is studying Film and Television.

Region 2:

Local 23 – Katrina Good

Katrina is now attending Lock Haven University for a major in Therapeutic Recreation with a minor in Psychology.

Region 4:

Local 880 – Jocelyn Bernstein

Jocelyn is now attending the University of Rochester.

Region 5:

Local 2005 – Hannah McDonald

Hannah is now attending Harding University in Arkansas for a Nursing degree, because she’s always liked helping and caring for others, and has always wanted to save a life.

Region 6:

Local 655 – Douglas Fritz

Douglas is attending Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO and studying biology, pre-med.

Region 7:

Local 7R – Karen Emanuelson

Karen currently attends the Keller Williams school for Real Estate in Colorado Springs.  After she finishes her exams, she plans to study possibly German or History at Pikes Peak Community College or University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Region 8:

Local 99 – Tamana Hussaini

Tamana is now attending Mount Holyoke College for a Pre-med. degree, because it’s a great field that combines science and working with others.

UFCW Canada:

Local 1288P – Sarah Gowlett

Sarah is now attending University of New Brunswick St. John for a Bachelor of Business Administration, because she’s always liked organization and numbers.

Thank you to all who submitted applications to the 2016 UFCW Charity Foundation Scholarship Program. The deadline to apply for the program was April 16th, 2016. Please remember, if you submitted an application, you must still complete the Part B and have your transcripts mailed by April 25, 2016 to be considered for the program. If you have questions, please contact cfscholarship@ufcw.org.

The UFCW is about workers coming together to build better lives for themselves. It is about creating opportunity. That is why each year the UFCW Charity Foundation awards several scholarships of up to $8 ,000 each to UFCW members or their unmarried dependents under the age of 20. UFCW employed officers, staff and their immediate families are not eligible.

Honoring Susan A. Crotty, Senior Vice President, The Marco Consulting Group

Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Renaissance Phoenix
Downtown Hotel
Phoenix, Arizona

Join us on Wednesday, February 3rd for a hypnotic evening with the nation’s premiere hyptotist, Flip Orley, and help raise funds for the UFCW Charity Foundation.

Since bursting on the comedy scene Flip Orley has single-handedly reshaped the image of hypnosis from its vaudeville image, to an act hip and edgy enough for the MTV generation. Flip’s appearance on the “Today Show” brought rave reviews and stopped traffic in midtown Manhattan. His first appearance was so successful he was invited back several times.

Flip’s one-man show has set comedy club attendance records from coast to coast. Faithful fans and newcomers alike find themselves screaming with laughter as Flip ignites his volunteers’ subconscious minds and transforms reality. What sets Orley apart from others in his craft, is his true comedic ability, delivering a hilarious stand up set before unleashing his volunteers’ creative imaginations.