IBEW Local 98 recently partnered with the Chabad of Fairmount and the Spring Garden Development Corporation to feed hungry families in the Spring Garden community who have been struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic.
On July 28th, the Electricians Union and the two non-profit groups set up an outdoor food pantry in the parking lot of the union hall. They provided free boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as large bags of canned goods to more than 125 nearby residents and families. Some arrived by car, while others arrived on foot with small carts to haul their food home. In addition, a mobile pizza truck and soft serve ice cream truck were on-hand to offer families a quick and fun dinner while they picked up their food to bring home.
The idea was presented to IBEW Local 98 by Rabbi Hershey Sputz of the Chabad of Fairmount. Local 98 had previously partnered with the Chabad on other events over the past few years, so Local 98 Business Manager John J. Dougherty immediately embraced the free food distribution idea. The event was another in a long list of charitable endeavors undertaken by IBEW Local 98, one of Philadelphia’s most philanthropic organizations.