Each month the Church supports a Justice Partner (formerly called “Cause of the month”) by donating one offering per month of non-pledge donations at the Sunday services. Each year in March the UUCPA Action Council reviews the current program, considers current and new causes nominated by members, evaluates them and then presents a slate of organizations to the congregation for approval at the Annual Meeting in April.

Factors that are given priority in creating the slate of organizations are:

  • UUCPA congregants actively involved with the group;
  • A Preference for local groups;
  • Who they serve and what they do;
  • What is their funding base and will our donation have an impact;
  • A balance of causes among different issues, such as poverty, environment, etc.

If you have any questions or feedback on Justice Partners, please talk to one of the members of the Action Council.

Recent News

Current and Upcoming Justice Partners

March 2024 – Justice Partner - Heart and Home

The Justice Partner for March is Heart and Home.

Heart and Home, founded by Stanford students, provides night-time winter shelter for fifteen unhoused women in the general Palo Alto vicinity, and is hosted by UUCPA in February and March.  Operated by H+H and rotating between Palo Alto houses of faith, the shelter is run by volunteers from the community and Stanford University, and is staffed by trained professionals.  Website: https://www.hhcollab.org/.

April 2024 – Justice Partner - Community Health Awareness Council

The Justice Partner for April is Community Health Awareness Council

The Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC) provides mental health services for schools and families in Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Los Altos.  In addition to in-school services, they have therapists available for families and children in both English and Spanish.  They are currently in the process of building out more comprehensive training to work with the LGBTQ+ youth in the community as well.

Website: https://www.chacmv.org/

Past Justice Partners

February 2024 – Groundbreaking of Affordable Housing Next Door
February 2024 – Justice Partner - Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)

The Justice Partner for February is Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)

SURJ Sacred Heart Chapter is based in San Jose and is part of a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial justice. There are over 150 SURJ chapters and affiliates nationwide. Through community organizing, mobilizing, and education, SURJ moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice, with passion and accountability.  Accountability means being in relationship with and taking direction from people of color and working on the issues that matter most to accountability partners, organizations run by people of color.

Website: www.surjatsacredheart.org

January 2024 – Justice Partner - Onyxx Village Connection

The Justice Partner for January is Onyxx Village Connection (OVC).

OVC is a black-led organization that restores the dignity of underserved individuals and families
by feeding the hungry, eliminating food waste, and connecting the community to resources that
could improve the quality of their lives.

Website: www.onyxxvillageconnection.org

December 2023 – Justice Partner - Acterra

The Justice Partner for December is Acterra.

Acterra is an organization based in Palo Alto that brings people together to create local solutions for a healthy planet. Current projects serve everyone on the Peninsula through ride & drive events, green at home programs,  local environment restoration and maintenance, green business awards programs, lecture series, and other actions. Website: https://www.acterra.org/.

November 2023 – Justice Partner -  Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity

The Justice Partner for November is Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity

The Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity is a statewide California organization that connects clergy and people of faith to the work of social justice in Los Angeles County, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Inland Valleys.  They work to make the criminal justice system more just, and the immigration system fairer and more humane.  In the last two years, IM4HI trained 1,500 people of faith to take leadership roles, engaged 140 congregations and partner organizations, and reached more than 35,000 people with a message of hope, love and resilience.

Here’s lots more information about the NEAT program, Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Teams, with which UUCPA members have been active in the recent past.

Website: https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/

October 2023 – Justice Partner - South Bay Sanctuary Covenant

The Justice Partner for October is South Bay Sanctuary Covenant.

SBSC is an interfaith, non-partisan organization of churches and individuals in the Bay Area. The group is concerned with peace, justice and liberation for the people of Central America and for the refugees who have fled these areas.

September 2023 – Justice Partner - Hotel de Zink

The Justice Partner for September is Hotel de Zink.

Hotel de Zink, a rotating church shelter program run by InnVision, is hosted by UUCPA during September. We offer breakfast, bag lunch, dinner, and a place to sleep for 10 – 15 homeless community members. We recruit volunteers to provide dinner each night as well as funds to cover costs for breakfast and lunch food and supplies.

Website: https://lifemoves.org/our-solution-works/our-services/single-adult-services/hotel-de-zink/.

August 2023 – Justice Partner - California Interfaith Power and Light

The Justice Partner for August is California Interfaith Power and Light

CIPL serves congregations and institutions of many faiths that are committed to working together to protect our common home, the Earth.  They provide guides and educational programs for energy efficiency, solar installations, electric vehicles, water saving, etc. From time to time they engage in advocacy.  UUCPA is one of over 600 member congregations.

Website: https://www.interfaithpower.org/

July 2023 – Justice Partner - American Muslim Voice (AMV)

The Justice Partner for July is American Muslim Voice (AMV).

AMV is local grassroots, nonviolent, inclusive, civil, immigrant and human rights organization. AMV hosts open houses, peace picnics and peace conventions annually to unite neighbors and strangers alike, including the popular EID celebrations.  They also provide the Muslim perspective through teach-in opportunities at schools, colleges, universities, places of worship, and peace conventions.  Website: https://www.amuslimvoice.org/.

June 2023 – Justice Partner - Ada's Cafe

The Justice Partner for June is Ada’s Cafe.

Located in the Mitchell Park Community Center, Ada’s Cafe and Catering is dedicated to hiring, training, and empowering people with disabilities in a commercial food service business.  Ada’s provides jobs for the disabled while creating numerous employment and internship opportunities for other local teens and college students as job buddies. Website: http://www.adascafe.org/.

May 2023 – Justice Partner - Outlet

The Justice Partner for May is Outlet, a program of Adolescent Counseling Service (ACS).

Outlet is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQQ) Youth organization based in Mountain View. As the Peninsula’s only comprehensive LGBTQQ youth organization, it provides services to youth and adults who work with youth, including bilingual Spanish services. Website: http://www.acs-teens.org/what-we-do/outlet/

April 2023 – Justice Partner - Community Health Awareness Council

The Justice Partner for April is Community Health Awareness Council

The Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC) provides mental health services for schools and families in Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Los Altos.  In addition to in-school services, they have therapists available for families and children in both English and Spanish.  They are currently in the process of building out more comprehensive training to work with the LGBTQ+ youth in the community as well.

Website: https://www.chacmv.org/

March 2023 – Justice Partner - Heart and Home

The Justice Partner for March is Heart and Home.

Heart and Home, founded by Stanford students, provides night-time winter shelter for fifteen unhoused women in the general Palo Alto vicinity, and is hosted by UUCPA in February and March.  Operated by H+H and rotating between Palo Alto houses of faith, the shelter is run by volunteers from the community and Stanford University, and is staffed by trained professionals.  Website: https://www.hhcollab.org/.

February 2023 – Justice Partner - California Interfaith Power and Light

The Justice Partner for February is California Interfaith Power and Light

CIPL serves congregations and institutions of many faiths that are committed to working together to protect our common home, the Earth.  They provide guides and educational programs for energy efficiency, solar installations, electric vehicles, water saving, etc. From time to time they engage in advocacy.  UUCPA is one of over 600 member congregations.

Website: https://www.interfaithpower.org/

January 2023 – Justice Partner - Ability Path

The Justice Partner for January is Ability Path.

Located next door to the church, Ability Path (formerly Abilities United) advances advocacy, inclusion, and independence for people with developmental (autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, and intellectual disability) and physical disabilities.   Except during the pandemic, a group of members comes over to our church every Monday and breaks down our Main Hall (stacks and moves chairs).

Website: https://www.abilitiesunited.org/.

December 2022 – Justice Partner - Acterra

The Justice Partner for December is Acterra.

Acterra is an organization based in Palo Alto that brings people together to create local solutions for a healthy planet. Current projects serve everyone on the Peninsula through ride & drive events, green at home programs,  local environment restoration and maintenance, green business awards programs, lecture series, and other actions. Website: https://www.acterra.org/.

November 2022 – Justice Partner - Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)

The Justice Partner for November is Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)

SURJ Sacred Heart Chapter is based in San Jose and is part of a national network of groups and individuals organizing white people for racial justice. There are over 150 SURJ chapters and affiliates nationwide. Through community organizing, mobilizing, and education, SURJ moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice, with passion and accountability.  Accountability means being in relationship with and taking direction from people of color and working on the issues that matter most to accountability partners, organizations run by people of color.

Website: www.surjatsacredheart.org

October 2022 – Justice Partner - South Bay Sanctuary Covenant

The Justice Partner for October is South Bay Sanctuary Covenant.

SBSC is an interfaith, non-partisan organization of churches and individuals in the Bay Area. The group is concerned with peace, justice and liberation for the people of Central America and for the refugees who have fled these areas.

September 2022 – Justice Partner - Hotel de Zink

The Justice Partner for September is Hotel de Zink.

Hotel de Zink, a rotating church shelter program run by InnVision, is hosted by UUCPA during September. We offer breakfast, bag lunch, dinner, and a place to sleep for 10 – 15 homeless community members. We recruit volunteers to provide dinner each night as well as funds to cover costs for breakfast and lunch food and supplies.

Website: https://lifemoves.org/our-solution-works/our-services/single-adult-services/hotel-de-zink/.

August 2022 – Justice Partner - Ada's Cafe

The Justice Partner for August is Ada’s Cafe.

Located in the Mitchell Park Community Center, Ada’s Cafe and Catering is dedicated to hiring, training, and empowering people with disabilities in a commercial food service business.  Ada’s provides jobs for the disabled while creating numerous employment and internship opportunities for other local teens and college students as job buddies. Website: http://www.adascafe.org/.

July 2022 – Justice Partner - Outlet

The Justice Partner for July is Outlet, a program of Adolescent Counseling Service (ACS).

Outlet is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQQ) Youth organization based in Mountain View. As the Peninsula’s only comprehensive LGBTQQ youth organization, it provides services to youth and adults who work with youth, including bilingual Spanish services. Website: http://www.acs-teens.org/what-we-do/outlet/

June 2022 – Justice Partner -  Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity

The Justice Partner for June is Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity

The Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity is a statewide California organization that connects clergy and people of faith to the work of social justice in Los Angeles County, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Inland Valleys.  They work to make the criminal justice system more just, and the immigration system fairer and more humane.  In the last two years, IM4HI trained 1,500 people of faith to take leadership roles, engaged 140 congregations and partner organizations, and reached more than 35,000 people with a message of hope, love and resilience.

Here’s lots more information about the NEAT program, Nueva Esperanza Accompaniment Teams, with which UUCPA members have been active in the recent past.

Website: https://www.im4humanintegrity.org/

May 2022 – Justice Partner - American Muslim Voice (AMV)

The Justice Partner for May is American Muslim Voice (AMV).

AMV is local grassroots, nonviolent, inclusive, civil, immigrant and human rights organization. AMV hosts open houses, peace picnics and peace conventions annually to unite neighbors and strangers alike, including the popular EID celebrations.  They also provide the Muslim perspective through teach-in opportunities at schools, colleges, universities, places of worship, and peace conventions.  Website: https://www.amuslimvoice.org/.

April 2022 – Justice Partner - Community Health Awareness Council

The Justice Partner for April is Community Health Awareness Council

The Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC) provides mental health services for schools and families in Mountain View, Sunnyvale and Los Altos.  In addition to in-school services, they have therapists available for families and children in both English and Spanish.  They are currently in the process of building out more comprehensive training to work with the LGBTQ+ youth in the community as well.

Website: https://www.chacmv.org/

March 2022 – Justice Partner - Heart and Home

The Justice Partner for March is Heart and Home.

Heart and Home, founded by Stanford students, provides night-time winter shelter for fifteen unhoused women in the general Palo Alto vicinity, and is hosted by UUCPA in February and March.  Operated by H+H and rotating between Palo Alto houses of faith, the shelter is run by volunteers from the community and Stanford University, and is staffed by trained professionals.  Website: https://www.hhcollab.org/.