seven women dressed in holiday garb, red and green.

Seasonal Campaigns

female volunteer providing instructions to male volunteer

WINTER SURVIVAL CAMPAIGN

Statistically, WMLA’s budget-saving Winter Survival Campaign saves at least six lives each winter when our members mobilize to aid one another in preventing disasters, such as utility shutoffs, house fires caused by unsafe heating methods, or fatalities from untreated illness, inadequate nutrition and lack of shelter.

  • Collect and distribute blankets, jackets, winter coats, scarves, hats, gloves and boots for WMLA members and their children.

  • Join the winter canvass campaign to reach members and potential members in their homes, where many risk no-heat situations or other emergencies.

  • Collect safe space heaters for loan and distribution.

  • Collect high-protein and other staple foods for distribution: peanut butter, cereal, rice, soups, vegetable oil, eggs, beans, lentils.

  • Join the Winter Watch phone tree to keep in contact with members in vulnerable situations.

WINTER

How you can help:

children with eggs at egg hunt
A photo of a WMLA member and two young children at a spring party.

SPRING EXPANSION CAMPAIGN

Springtime in Massachusetts means the end of the state’s winter moratorium on the termination of gas and electric services, and the beginning of a wave of utility shutoffs for low-paid workers. WMLA’s Spring Expansion Campaign organizes additional collections of high protein foods and weekly supplemental food distributions and conducts utility advocacy to keep members’ lights and heat on.

  • Help run WMLA’s annual Spring Family Brunch & Children’s Egg Hunt to build unity among members and allies in the community.

  • Help run food drives to collect cereal, rice, beans, tomato products, eggs, cooking oil and vegetables to offset expenses for food so members can pay down debts acquired during the winter.

  • Advocate to stop deadly utility shutoffs.

  • Host speaking engagements in your classroom, house of worship, club meeting or other assembly to spread the word.

SPRING

How you can help:

A food distribution with fresh produce and WMLA volunteers preparing to sort it.

SUMMER SURVIVAL CAMPAIGN

According to the state of Massachusetts, 5 to 7 people die from heat-related causes every day the temperature is above 85°. Every year, heat kills more people than all other natural disasters combined. WMLA volunteers and delegates mobilize Summer Watch Phone Trees during heat waves to check on members especially vulnerable to heat-related illness — due to substandard housing conditions and inadequate cooling — and make benefits available.

  • Join Summer Survival canvasses and go door-to-door in low-income neighborhoods where members have invited WMLA to sign up new members.

  • Help organize medical education and information sessions with volunteer professionals about how workers can stay safe in the summer heat.

  • Collect and distribute water, light-weight clothing, fans, window AC units and dehumidifiers to help members keep cool during heat waves.

  • Provide transportation to cooling centers, including WMLA’s Office Central.

SUMMER

How you can help:

a male volunteer and a female volunteer holding school supplies

BACK-TO-SCHOOL CAMPAIGN

The expenses low-income working parents face for back-to-school clothes and supplies, medical exams for school entry and immunizations can break an already over-stretched budget. Our Back-to-School clothing and supply distribution can save WMLA membership families up to $600 — money that can be used to pay for rent, utilities, food and medicines these families will otherwise be forced to do without.

  • Help collect and distribute school supplies and new and like-new school clothing and children’s coats for WMLA members and their children.

  • Learn to advocate for members to overcome barriers to enrolling their children in school.

  • Volunteer on outreach at local college and university campuses to recruit students who want to get involved.

SCHOOL

How you can help:

four female volunteers serving food

HOLIDAY CAMPAIGN

WMLA volunteers have created budget-saving programs for members to help other members meet seasonal needs such as holiday food basket distributions for Thanksgiving and Christmas time, and holiday toy distributions to parents for their private family gift giving to their children.

  • Help organize a Trick-or-Treat for Service Workers neighborhood food drive and a Safe and Sane Halloween Party.

  • Collect turkeys, all the fixings and other holiday food for Thanksgiving and Holiday Food Basket Benefit distributions in November and December and deliver them to members.

  • Collect toys for distribution to members for their children for private family gift giving.

  • Organize a Family Holiday Party for member families.

HOLIDAY

How you can help: