Public Employee Press

AFSCME Scholarship winner
Union helped family triumph over difficult times

By ALFREDO ALVARADO

When Local 1407 member Eva Hasse needed help motivating her daughter Melody Schwenk to crack open her schoolbooks, she turned to an unusual source. Hasse, a single mother who works as an Audit Supervisor at the comptroller's office, summoned the assistance of Mrs. T, their pet parrot of 11 years.

"Do your homework," Mrs. T would insist, mimicking the voice she'd heard so often from Hasse. "It can be pretty annoying, but you get used to it," said Schwenk.

Mrs. T and Hasse got the message across, and Schwenk graduated in the top tenth of her class from St. Francis Preparatory School in Queens. She was recently awarded a $2,000-a-year Family Scholarship from DC 37's national union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

"I was ecstatic when we got the letter," said Hasse, "and the financial assistance is greatly appreciated." Schwenk, who is attending New York University, will get $2,000 for each of her four years. She also won a $1,000 scholarship from Local 1407. "We're all very proud of her," said Local 1407 President and DC 37 Treasurer Maf Misbah Uddin.

For the AFSCME scholarship, students wrote essays on what the union has meant to their families. Schwenk highlighted the union benefits and services that made a huge difference for them during difficult times.

"My mother has raised me all by herself since I was six. Without the benefits, it would have been a great struggle for us to survive," she wrote. DC 37's Personal Service Unit and Municipal Employees Legal Services provided timely support for the family.

"Because of all the union assistance and benefits we can now live in a peaceful home," she added. Mother and daughter recently moved into a new home after attending a union housing workshop.

"She wrote a very beautiful essay," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. "We are very proud of her."

"I can't wait for classes to start," said the excited student, who is majoring in English literature with a minor in music. She'll be living at the NYU dorms and working part-time on campus. But her secret weapon, Mrs. T, will be staying home.