Justice Partners
Each month the Church supports a Justice Partner (formerly called “Cause of the month”) by donating 10% of non-pledge offerings at the Sunday services. The UUCPA Action Council reviewed the current program, considered current and new causes advocated by members, evaluated and then presented a slate of organizations to the congregation. These are proposed for approval at the Annual Meeting on April 19, 2015.
Factors that were given priority in making the recommendations for fiscal year 2015 were our relationship with the group, including whether there is a related Task Force; who they serve; what is their funding base; and balance among social service, direct action, education, community organizing and advocacy causes.
If you have any questions of feedback on Justice Partners, please talk to one of the members of the Action Council: Edie Keating (chair), Karen Skold, Sally Ahnger, Litsie Indergand and Nancy Neff
New Justice Partner(s) for fiscal year 2015-2016:
UUCPA Senior High service trip to Belize
2015
UUCPA Senior High Service Trip to Belize — May
This year we are proposing one change from the current year: replace Collective Roots (a group that supports backyard gardens in East Palo Alto) with the UUCPA Senior High service project to Belize. The money raised from donations will be used exclusively to purchase materials to complete the volunteer projects at schools (paint, solar panels, plants, shipping costs, etc); none of the donated money will go to travel costs. For more information, see [www.tilt.com/campaigns/belize-service-project]
South Palo Alto Food Closet — June
The South Palo Alto Food Closet is a grocery program located at the Covenant Presbyterian Church on East Meadow Drive in Palo Alto. This food program is designed to help needy families with children or disabilities by assisting them in their weekly food needs.
California Clean Money Campaign — July
Whose vision is achieving an open and accountable government that is responsive to the needs of all Californians. The short term goal is passing the California DISCLOSE Act for improved disclosure on political ads. [website]
Day Worker Center of Mountain View — August
The Day Worker Center has two main areas of service. They serve hundreds of local homeowners and businesses by providing job–matching services to day labor, and (most important from the justice perspective) serve the immigrant community by matching them with those jobs. It’s not just a job–matching service, though. They are committed to providing tools to empower day workers (mostly immigrants from Mexico and Latin America) as members of this community. They help workers to build a good life, for the good of their families and for the good of the neighborhood. They seek to help workers enter more fully into the life of the community by offering classes in English as a Second Language (ESL), GED, computer and job skills, and sewing. They also have a Worker’s Commission which governs all aspects of day–to–day operations. Their home page lists additional community–oriented services they participate in, like monthly street clean up days, quarterly blood donation, and helping seniors with community garden plots. (web site)
Hotel de Zink — September
Hotel de Zink, a rotating church shelter program run by InnVision, Hotel de Zink is hosted by UUCPA during September. We offer breakfast, dinner, and a place to sleep for 10 – 15 homeless community members. We need volunteers to provide dinner each night as well as funds to cover miscellaneous costs for food and supplies.
Opportunity Center — October
The Palo Alto Opportunity Center offers studio and 1-2 bedroom family apartments. The Center also provides light meals, clothing, a mail address, bus passes, case management and emergency rent assistance–to homeless and at-risk
South Bay Sanctuary Covenant — November
South Bay Sanctuary Covenant (SBSC) is an interfaith, non-partisan organization of churches and individuals in the Bay Area from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. The group is concerned with peace, justice and liberation for the people of Central America and for the refugees who have fled these areas.
Outlet — December
Outlet is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQQ) Youth organization based in Mountain View, California. As the Peninsula’s only comprehensive LGBTQQ youth organization, it has provided services to LGBTQQ youth and adults who work with youth in the Bay Area. Bilingual Spanish services are also provided.
2016
Stevenson House — January
Stevenson House’s mission is to provide affordable housing where older, independent adults enjoy a safe and caring community. Stevenson House opened its doors in 1968. Built under the sponsorship of Palo Alto Senior Housing Project, Inc., Stevenson House has received ongoing support from the UUCPA and also from the greater community.
UU Justice Ministry-California (formerly UU Legislative Ministry) — February
UULM works to build a statewide education and advocacy network that shares information and policy expertise, particularly from member UUs; to train new leadership, with special attention to involvement of youth and young adults; and to raise the visibility of Unitarian Universalism and its values to policy makers and the larger community. [website]
UU Abolitionists — March
UU Abolitionists is a new and growing organization of Unitarian Universalists dedicated to ending modern slavery and human trafficking, led by members of the UU Fellowship of Santa Cruz County and UUCPA’s minister, Amy Zucker Morgenstern. Approximately 27 million people worldwide are enslaved, more than at any time in history. They are in every country, including the United States, and their stolen labor creates products we consume every day. We have a proud anti-slavery heritage in Unitarians and Universalists such as Thomas Starr King, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, Benjamin Rush, and Theodore Parker. Through education and action, the UU Abolitionists rally today’s Unitarian Universalists to follow in these leaders’ footsteps and complete their work for freedom.
Green Sanctuary Choice (currently 350.org) — April