Postal Service leaders and business customers witnessed the power of the stars and stripes when they toured a Miami flag-making operation this week.
The group visited Goodwill Industries of South Florida, where workers — some with significant disabilities — manufacture American flags. The tour took place on Flag Day, June 14.
“Many of those working at Goodwill have emigrated from other countries. They were literally getting a hands-on lesson in what the fabric of America is all about,” said Miami Postmaster Enrique Suarez.
The Goodwill facility manufactures flags for military funerals. The operation also is one of three in the nation that makes flags for presidential funerals.
Goodwill also uses state-of-the-art equipment to package pre-printed advertisements and other publications for insertion in Miami area newspapers. The facility’s 160 employees produce about 1.37 million advertising packages each week.
The tour was arranged through the Miami-Dade County Postal Customer Council, one of several Postal Customer Councils (PCCs) across the nation that helps strengthen the relationships between USPS and business mailers.
Suarez, a Miami-Dade County PCC board member, said the participants were moved by the dedication of the Goodwill workers.
“It was a labor of love,” he said.