The Civil Rights Committee of AFSCME Council 4 understands the history of combining civil rights, labor and taking care of community. In that spirit, Black, Indigenous and union leaders of color who work in municipal and state public services have been gathering carload after carload of groceries to feed those in need in New Britain, home to their local union hall.

“In these tough times we need to come together in the spirit of solidarity and compassion," said Harold Brooks, co-chair of the civil rights committee and AFSCME Council 4 executive board member. 

These efforts were inspired by the words of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.”

As Governor Lamont and state legislators grapple with a two-year budget plan, children in our communities are going to bed hungry at night. Parents are struggling with unemployment, the pandemic and disparity levels leave many one paycheck away from choosing between shelter and food.

"If our politicians can’t resolve these economic inequities, it’s up to us as civil rights leaders to do the right thing," said Brooks. 

“The residents of New Britain are no different from many cities in Connecticut right now," said Marsha Tulloch, co-chair of the civil rights committee. "People are hurting, they’re hungry, they’re scared. We’re here to tell them with a union by your side, you’re never alone.” 

The hundreds of bags of food was divided between the Bethesda Apostolic Church, Spotswood A.M.E. Zion Church, Reality Outreach as well as multiple faith groups who serve the Latino community in New Britain.

The Civil Rights Committee would like to thank all the Locals of AFSCME Council 4 who generously gave gift cards and the AFSCME Council 4 Executive Board who also donated to our cause.