The Faith Expression and Funding Team, part of the Council for Faith in Action (CFA), is responsible for the distribution of the 50% of the weekly plate allocated to social justice causes. Is there an organization that you are passionate about, that you feel puts your faith in action? Contact us for details on submitting a funding request.
Thanks to your generosity, since our last update UUCWC was able to provide funding for the following organizations and projects:
Continued support to UUCWC’s Faith Action Ministry to purchase books and supplies ($367) for ESL classes held at St. James AME Church in Hightstown and the Assembly of God Methodist Church in Robbinsville. UUCWC members are also class teachers.
Loaves and Fishes ($800) Despite restrictions imposed by the pandemic, efforts were coordinated and re-imagined to make this event happen safely. Many thanks to the work of Ronnie and Ed Dobrowolski, a team from the UU Princeton Congregation, and the UUCWC folks who chipped in to make many batches of brownies.
UU the Vote Faith Action Ministry’s (FAM) Activities $500. UU the Vote is a project of the Unitarian Universalist Association, designed to get UU congregations around the country involved in non-partisan efforts to register more voters, fight voter suppression, increase voter turnout, and educate voters about ballot initiatives in their state. FAM also secured a $500 grant from the UUA to support these efforts (link to May newsletter article). There are many opportunities to participate, please contact FAM@uucwc.org to get involved!
HomeFront ($1,500) This donation in April helped to meet the increased needs and challenges brought on by COVID-19.
Isles ($2,000) This year, Isles, a community development and environmental organization founded in 1981 and based in Trenton, was selected to receive half of the Auction proceeds, over the budgeted amount. Despite the pandemic, and thanks to the support of the entire UUCWC community, the Auction was a success and met its fundraising goal, unfortunately, there was not the surplus we experienced last year. CFA felt keeping a commitment to contribute a larger sum of money to really make a difference was important.
COVID-19 Heightens Food Insecurity ($4,000) At the Council for Faith in Action’s spring quarterly meeting, we focused on the impact of COVID-19 and the growing food insecurity in our communities in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This discussion also included the Food Ministry in an effort to coordinate effective use of our resources. The result was an agreement to focus on Food Insecurity for the next three months in a variety of ways within CFA. With respect for funding, FEFT agreed to allocate the balance of their funds for 2019-2020 towards these efforts. $1,000 was sent to each to the following: in New Jersey, El Centro and Mercer Street Friends, and in Pennsylvania, the Bucks County Opportunity Council and the Bucks County Housing Group.
And finally, due to the extraordinary times we are in, a one-time donation of $500 was made towards the college tuition of a young woman who has been a participant in the HomeFront tutoring program for many years, to help her as she enters her freshman year at Albright College to study education. This amount was combined with $1,500 from a generous supporter of UUCWC’s HomeFront activities.
We should all feel good about the works UUCWC is supporting. For the 2019-2020 church year, we were about to donate over $17,000, thanks to your generous and continued support. We are making a difference in our communities.
Please contact us at faithfunding@uucwc.org if you would like more information about the Faith Expression and Funding Team or if you’d like to become part of the team. Your participation would be most welcome! (Current participants: Holly Bussey, Bud Johnson, Steve Saddlemire, Jim Sanders, Dan Tuft, Lynne Quinto with input from the entire CFA group.)
Lynne Quinto and Holly Bussey, Co-Facilitators
Faith Expression and Funding Team/Council for Faith in Action