Abstract
The early 1980s saw a crushing wave of worker layoffs in the Pittsburgh steel industry that threw thousands out of work and decimated the economies of dozens of area towns. Existing aid providers were overwhelmed and struggled to meet the increased demand for relief services. Leaders of United Steelworker Local 1397 in Homestead met the crisis by organizing a large-scale food bank for unemployed members. Startup funds for the “worker’s food pantry” came from a traditional grassroots source: a benefit music concert featuring popular local bands.
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