About OPERATION
CHRISTMAS CHEER
CHRISTMAS
FOOD DRIVES
    Email: casandra@operationcheer.com - Phone: (613) 301-2988 - Fax: (613) 692-5265
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Operation Christmas Cheer History
Proudly Helping Union Families Since 2004
Copyright 2004
Operation Christmas Cheers Reason For Being

Operation Christmas Cheer was created back in December of 2004.  The president
of CEP 102-0 Pembroke, made a heartfelt plea to the ODLC asking for support for
her 15 members who were walking the picket lines at Christmas.

I felt compelled to get involved.  I started collecting cans and packages of food so my
family and I could deliver Christmas Hampers to these families in time for Christmas
dinner.  Even though I was able to get my company (AIL Canada) to donate the 15
turkeys something was still missing...TOYS!  I asked for help from you, my friends, my
Brothers and Sisters throughout Ontario.

The response from labour was overwhelming and through word of mouth, we
collectively raised over $2,900 a couple weeks before Christmas.  OCC was able to
ensure that every child received a gift Christmas morning plus, we were able to
deliver $100 grocery gift cards to Brothers and Sisters of CEP 324 Dryden who had
been out on the picket line for close to a year!  

I thought that Operation Christmas Cheer was a one time event but I was wrong.  
November 2005, 3 United Steelworkers locals were on strike in small community of
Hawkesbury.  Over 400 Brothers and Sisters had been fighting for their rights since
July and they were all struggling to survive during the Holiday season.  

Operation Christmas Cheer started up again even though I was unsure I would be
able to collect enough food and grocery gift cards to help every member.  My family
and I decided to do what we could to make a difference so we pledged our support
to USW 8580 and their 80 members walking the picket lines.  

Long Story short, you helped to raise $17,200 in less than 5 weeks!  Operation
Christmas Cheer not only made a difference for all members of USW 8580 but  also
for 15 members of CEP 31X in Espanola on strike who had been walking the picket
line since September.  All remaining pledges/contributions collected were used to
purchase grocery gift cards for United Steelworkers 7940 & 8794 in Hawkesbury
who had a prioritized list of union families most in need.
a non-profit organization
Operation Christmas Cheer is a non-profit organization driven by volunteers from
our community and the labour movement.  In December 2008 we will be
celebrating our 5th year anniversary.   OCC's only mandate is to deliver grass
roots support, cheer, food hampers and toys to picket-lines during the Holiday
Season.  Every year our mission is the same:
Make sure every Brothers and Sister walking
a picket-line in Ontario during the holidays
receives support, cheer, a traditional
Christmas dinner for their family and that their
children receive a toy from Santa.  

Our annual food and toy collection campaign
is active November and December.
We start by collecting one can of food, one toy or one dollar at a time donated in
solidarity support by organized labour.  Our volunteers campaign on behalf of these
union families in hardship right up until Christmas Eve.  With out your generous
support, Operation Christmas Cheer would not be possible!
Members of CEP Local 37X - Timmins, locked-out since 2006