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Thursday, January 11, 2007

Families affected by raids get money from Swift & Co.

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS



HYRUM, Utah — Families separated and left without money after last month’s federal immigration raids are getting help from the meatpacking company where the raids occurred.

Swift & Co. officials said they have contributed $300,000 to United Way agencies in Iowa and five other states where federal agents arrested nearly 1,300 undocumented immigrants Dec. 12.

It is up to United Way to determine the best way to distribute the money, Swift spokesman Sean McHugh said Wednesday.

‘‘They understand and can effectively coordinate services better than we can,’’ McHugh said in an interview from Swift headquarters in Greeley, Colo.

Families of the workers taken from the meatpacking plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, will have an opportunity to get some of the aid. Swift donated $26,000 to the Marshalltown Area United Way.

Families in northern Utah are getting up to $200 each through Swift’s $35,000 donation. The company gave the money to United Way of Cache Valley.