Lending A Helping Hand

Covering life's necessities can be a tall order for members of the Special Education Employees Association (SEEA) in St. Louis County, Missouri. The average paraeducator in the district makes about $17,000 a year-hardly enough to make ends meet when it costs nearly $27,000 a year to care for a family of three in the area.

"Most of our members have two or three jobs because : they can't make it on their salary alone," says Sharon Canaday, vice president of seeA, which serves paraprofessionals, certified occupational and physical therapy assistants, and sign language interpreters. So SEEA is crusading to get its members a livable wage. And the local is seeing results.

In four years, membership has soared to 800 from 238, with about 150 joining in the past seven months, says UniServ Director Terri. Coburn. Meanwhile, new and veteran members have increased their presence in the community by collecting items for the local homeless shelters and food pantries. The local hopes to rally additional community support this month with a petition signing.

"I anticipate it will let the district see we have the community behind us," says Canaday.