Public Employee Press

Help earthquake survivors in Italy

District Council 37 is raising money to help survivors of the earthquake that devastated the Abruzzo region of central Italy on April 6, killing almost 300 people and leaving 28,000 homeless.

The DC 37 Executive Board voted April 7 to contribute $5,000, and the union urges locals and members to give generously to the relief effort.

“I know our members will respond from their hearts as they always do when natural disasters strike our brothers and sisters in foreign lands,” said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts.

The union will contribute through the National Italian American Foundation, which has established a special relief fund and pledged that every dollar contributed will go directly to earthquake victims.

Please make checks payable to the NIAF/Abruzzo Relief Fund and send them to the DC 37 Executive Office, Room 525, 125 Barclay St., New York, NY 10007. Checks can also be mailed directly to the foundation at 1860 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009. If you contribute directly, please notify the DC 37 Executive Office.

Some 17,000 survivors are living in tent cities outside the epicenter town of L’Aquila, which was leveled by the quake. “They have nothing and they need all the help we can give,” said DC 37 Italian Heritage Committee Chair Michael DeMarco.