An email from American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, November 2012

Tens of thousands of AFT members—especially in New York and New Jersey, but also up and down the East Coast—are among those struggling to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. Every time a disaster affects our union brothers and sisters across the country, the AFT family rallies together to help in the recovery effort. This hurricane is no exception, and we are seeking your donations to the AFT Disaster Relief Fund to help those in need.

We’ve already received more than $16,000 in contributions from affiliates, including AFT Washington, AFT-West Virginia, the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Rochester Teachers Association.

Please make a tax-deductible donation today. Click here to make a tax-deductable donation to the AFT Disaster Relief Fund or send your check to the address below.

If you would like to donate online via credit card, we will have that option available early next week.

Whether they’re educators on Staten Island, nurses in New Jersey, college faculty in Pennsylvania, state employees in Connecticut or countless others, your donations can help our members and their families get back on their feet. The AFT is contributing $100,000 to the fund, and we hope you will join us. The money we collect will be distributed to AFT affiliates to help our members most in need. A donation of any amount can help.

Another proud AFT tradition following any disaster is the direct involvement of our members, along with scores of other union members and public employees, in relief efforts. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, nurses in New York and New Jersey, for example, have been working around the clock to help victims, even as their own homes and workplaces have been damaged. Members of the New York Public Employees Federation, who work throughout the state, have been on emergency duty dealing with the aftermath since the storm hit, as have their colleagues in Connecticut and Maryland. Teachers in New York City are caring for students in shelters. And the list of those working above and beyond could go on.

Donate today to the AFT Disaster Relief Fund by mailing your check to:

AFT Disaster Relief Fund
American Federation of Teachers,12th floor
555 New Jersey Ave. N.W.
Washington, DC 20001

Thank you for your generosity in helping your fellow AFT members begin to recover and move forward after Hurricane Sandy.