SEASONAL CAMPAIGNS

January - March

Winter Survival Campaign

Statistically, WESTERN SERVICE WORKERS ASSOCIATION’s (WSWA) 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 shelter. Every year since our founding in 1976, we have been getting food out to hundreds of membership families in low-income communities and keeping members housed through individual advocacy.

How you can help:

  • Host a collection of food, winter coats and hygiene supplies at your religious community, group, club or classroom.

  • Volunteer on Operation Winter Watch by visiting elderly and vulnerable members at their homes and organizing a phone tree to contact members who may have lost heat and need WSWA’s benefit program.

  • Volunteer on a door-to-door membership canvass to reach seasonal workers who often face utility shutoffs, hunger and unemployment during the winter season.

  • Learn to do utility advocacy to restore shutoff gas and electricity services that endanger the lives of low-income families.

August - September

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 WSWA membership families up to $500 – money that can be used to pay for rent, utilities, food and medicines these families will otherwise be forced to do without.

How you can help:

  • Host a collection of school supplies at your religious community, group, club or classroom.

  • Volunteer at the annual Back-to-School distribution sorting school supplies, filling backpacks and delivering resources to WSWA members who request assistance.

  • Learn to fill emergency food requests from WSWA members that become even more frequent throughout the fall and winter.

  • Invite WSWA speakers to your religious community, group, club or classroom to build support for WSWA’s Back-to-School Campaign.

October

Children’s Safe & Sane Halloween Party

WSWA's annual Children's Safe and Sane Halloween Party and chaperoned Trick-or-Treat for Service Workers is the first in a series of events organized by and for low-income workers and their families through the holiday season. Join the Halloween festivities!

How you can help:

  • Volunteer to coordinate games at the Halloween Party.

  • Assist on the Trick-or-Treat for Service Workers.

  • Decorate for the event.

  • Host a Trick-or-Treat for Service Workers in your neighborhood.

November - December

Holiday Campaign

WSWA 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.

How you can help:

  • Host a collection of holiday food items and new toys at your religious community, group, club or classroom.

  • Volunteer on interviews with WSWA members requesting to enroll in WSWA’s year-round budget savings program and special holiday distributions.

  • Volunteer at Thanksgiving and Holiday Food Basket distributions to assist hundreds of low-income workers and their families.

  • Volunteer at the annual Holiday Party running games, serving food and assisting in the Secret Santa room.

  • Volunteer at the toy sort where WSWA volunteers prepare gifts to go to parents for their private family gift giving.

Western Service
Workers Association

1717 N. Bush Street
Santa Ana, CA 92706
(714) 835-9961

Labor donated