Proposed Justice Partners for 2018-19

Thanks to everyone who nominated organizations for Justice Partners.  Each month the Church supports a social justice organization by donating one Sunday’s plate collection.  The UUCPA Action Council reviewed the current program, considered current and proposed causes nominated by congregants, and decided on a slate of organizations to present to the congregation for approval at the Annual Meeting on April 29.
Factors that were given priority in making the recommendations for 18-19 were:
  • Are UUCPA members actively involved with the group;
  • Preference for local groups;
  • Who they serve and what they do;
  • What is their funding base and will our donation have an impact;
  • Balance among the issues addressed by the chosen organizations.
This year we are proposing four new partners:  Heart and Home, Abilities United, Acterra, and Parents Helping Parents.  To make room for these new partners we retired four current partners: Mountain View Day Worker Center, Opportunity Center, EarthJustice, and Sequoia Adult School Scholars.
If you have any feedback or questions on Justice Partners, please talk to one of the members of the Action Council:  Edie Keating (chair), Sally Ahnger (Justice Partner Coordinator), Karen Skold, Jane Glauz, Kristi Iverson, Tina Kochel, or Jeb Eddy.

Slate of 2018-2019 Justice Partners

Outlet — May

    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.

South Palo Alto Food Closet — June

    This 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 with their weekly food needs.

California Clean Money Campaign — July

   Their vision is achieving an open and accountable government that is responsive to the needs of all Californians.  The short-term goal is passing the Petition Disclosure Act, to require paid initiative signature-gatherers to tell voters who’s paying for them.

South Bay Sanctuary Covenant (SBSC) — August

    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.

Hotel de Zink — September

    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.

Abilities United — October

    Located next door to the church, Abilities United (formerly CAR – Community Association for Rehabilitation) advances advocacy, inclusion, and independence for people with developmental (autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, and intellectual disability) and physical disabilities.   A group of members comes over to our church every Monday and breaks down our Main Hall (stacks and moves chairs).

 American Muslim Voice (AMV) — November

    AMV is a 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.

Heart and Home  — December

   Heart and Home, founded by Stanford students,  provides night-time winter shelter for fifteen unhoused women in the general Palo Alto vicinity and was hosted by UUCPA in December and January.  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.

Parents Helping Parents – January

    Parents Helping Parents San Jose provides low or no cost support for parents with special needs children in the Bay Area.  They offer classes and support groups on how to navigate IEPs (individual education plans), on how to advocate for your child, and on how to keep your sanity while dealing with all of this, among many other topics.

Stevenson House — February

    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 UUCPA and also from the greater community.

Ada’s Cafe — March

   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.

Acterra — April

    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.