Partnership of IBEW Local #1 and St. Louis Chapter, NECA, Honored for Commitment to Building Habitat for Humanity Homes

ST. LOUIS - The Electrical Connection has earned highest honors from Habitat for Humanity St. Louis for its four-year commitment to building homes for the disadvantaged. The organization, a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local #1 and St. Louis Chapter, National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), was honored for its support at Habitat's recent Harvest Homecoming.

"Our partnership with the Electrical Connection has had a tremendous impact on our ability to serve more families," said Kimberly McKinney, Habitat St. Louis' chief executive officer. "The union electricians and the contractors employing them are a perfect example of people whose "giving matches their living" in that their contributions to Habitat mirror what they do daily. Their dedicated efforts to donate time, resources and materials ensure our homes have safe, quality electrical installations."

For the past four years, Electrical Connection members have wired about 80 Habitat homes. In the process, they have donated services and materials valued at more than $300,000. More than 150 union electricians and a dozen electrical contractors have mobilized each year to work on Habitat homes.

"Our membership does a lot of building in St. Louis, but none is more important than the community- and family-building projects we help build for Habitat for Humanity St. Louis," said Matt Lampe, business representative for IBEW Local #1. "It is a remarkable opportunity to help families realize their dreams of homeownership."

In addition to the Electrical Connection, Art Stauder, Bloomsdale Excavating, Huttig Building Products and the Masonry Institute of St. Louis were also honored. This is the 11th consecutive year Habitat has presented awards at its annual fall fundraiser.

The Electrical Connection has also donated services to Rebuilding Together to improve homes for low-income, elderly persons and for the past decade has donated skills, services and building materials in support of St. Louis City's "National Night Out" anti-crime program.

IBEW Local #1 represents nearly 3,000 electricians and communication workers in the City of St. Louis and 25 Missouri counties. The St. Louis Chapter, NECA, serves more than 100 electrical and communication contractors committed to providing high quality and safe installations and service.

Cutline: (From left) Kimberly McKinney, CEO of Habitat for Humanity St. Louis, presents the Harvest Homecoming Award to Doug Martin, executive vice president St. Louis Chapter, NECA, and Matt Lampe, business representative for IBEW Local #1. They are joined by Carol Daniel of KMOX 1120, the mistress of ceremony for the event, and Bob West, president of the Habitat St. Louis board of directors. Martin and Lampe accepted the award on behalf of the Electrical Connection.