Western Service Workers Association
BENEFIT PROGRAM
11-Point Membership Benefit Program
WSWA members have built an 11-point membership benefit program to meet some of our immediate survival needs with the support of students, doctors, lawyers and small business owners, while we organize together for long-term change.
These and other membership benefits are available by request. Call WSWA and speak to an organizer if you need help, or to learn about ways you can participate and help build the benefit program.
WSWA’s Service Center is located next to our main office at:
San Diego Workers Community Service Center
3012 Imperial Avenue
San Diego, CA 92102
The Service Center is open nearly every morning. Call (619) 238-9763 to ask about hours.
Emergency Food
Non-perishable food items are available for members upon request to aid with immediate needs members have. Members can also enroll in a year-round, budget-savings program, which includes weekly fresh grocery distributions.
Preventive Medical Benefit
Volunteer doctors and other medical professionals donate their services for members. Other volunteers donate transportation, lab work and fill other needs for follow-up. Volunteer medical professionals also provide group presentations on health topics of interest to the members.
Utility Bill Advocacy and Information & Referral Benefit
When a WSWA member’s income does not meet their expenses, a WSWA volunteer advocate can work with a member to arrange a payment plan with a utility company in order to prevent a utility shutoff, as well as to apply through WSWA’s Information & Referral Benefit for public and private programs purported to aid low-income workers.
Legal Benefit
“Know Your Law” sessions are conducted by volunteer attorneys to present information about legal topics of interest to low-income workers as requested by WSWA members. This is complemented by individual consultations with volunteer attorneys in a confidential setting to provide legal advice to requesting members, accompanied by a volunteer lay advocate to assist with all the steps needed to carry out the attorney’s advice.
Non-Emergency Dental Benefit
Volunteer dentists see members in their offices free-of-charge to provide non-emergency preventive and corrective care. WSWA volunteer advocates organize dental lab services to enable the dental professionals to complete their treatment plans.
Living the Principle of Mutual Benefit
We have a motto: If you need a benefit today, come back tomorrow and help the next member get along. That way, members utilize the benefit program and as soon as they are able, return to make it possible for other members to get the help they need, and we grow stronger together.