Across Florida, hundreds of caregivers are volunteering their time and energy to elect candidates who will stand up for quality care and restore the middle class. Here is an interview with an 1199SEIU Florida Member Volunteer who is making the power of being united work for all.



Q: Describe your work as a volunteer in the 2012 elections and talk about some of the highlights you’ve experienced.



A: Well, I volunteer about two to three times a week doing phone banking, canvassing, attending events to educate voters about the importance of early voting and driving people to the polls.



Two weeks ago when I was canvassing, I ran into a lady in her 80s. She thought the election had passed and she had missed it. I told her no, the election was coming up. She didn’t have a car and she wanted to make sure someone would pick her up. So, a week later, I met her where we were holding “Souls to the Polls” and I drove her to go vote.



Another highlight was that I met a Spanish-speaking couple while canvassing and they asked me for early voting information in Spanish. I went to the campaign office and got a leaflet with early voting locations and times in Spanish and drove back to give it to them. They were really grateful and I even brought them some lunch from our “Souls to the Polls” event. They didn’t expect that.



Q: What does this election mean to you personally?



A: This election affects me in every aspect of my life. It impacts my granddaughter, who receives services by programs Romney wants to cut. I have two sons with college tuition. I have a mother who is 61 and will need Medicare, which Romney wants to cut. I have a daughter, a sister and aunts, so we all would be impacted by the women’s programs Romney wants to cut. And of course, I am a healthcare worker and I want to see Obama stay in office because healthcare reform is important to me.



For me, the pay-off is priceless to volunteer because you’re getting people to make a decision they’ll have to live with for the next four years. It’s a lot of work and it comes from the heart. Also, being a volunteer as an 1199SEIU member helps other members see how important it is for us as healthcare workers to be involved politically. It could be a threat to us if we don’t have someone in the office.As 1199SEIU members, now is the time to execute our power!