Social Action Team February report

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Faith-to-Action collections

The Faith-to-Action recipient for February is Minority Men’s Network Educational Foundation. Their work in their words:

The Network seeks to promote educational, economic , social, civic, and legal progress on the part of African Americans of Columbia and Boone County. The African American population continues to be marginalized and disadvantaged in practically all of these categories, and the Network works to change that reality. Financial aid from the UU church will be used exclusively to enhance the Network’s educational fund from which scholarships are given annually to help current local African American high school graduates attend college.

You will hear more about this worthy organization during Sunday worship service collections. Please contribute as you are able, either online or in the old-fashioned way…the collection plate!

Recent Faith-to-Action collection results:

  • July: $862.06 for Mobility Worldwide
  • August: $1,174.25 for No More Deaths
  • September: $1,325.27 for the Honduras Ministry Team.
  • October: $1382.27 for the Sanctuary and Immigrant Justice Team.
  • November: $1574.30 for the Pink Haven Coalition
  • December: $1063.94 for Caring Hearts and Hands of Columbia

2025 Honduras Service Trip News

The Honduras Ministry Team is in the final stages of planning for their Spring Break 2025 trip. There will be 15 people in the group. We as the larger UUCC community, through all your generous donations, will be financing and helping build 10 latrines, help paint and repair parts of the school as well as join in on some teaching and work in the school library. The team will be meeting with community leaders to learn more about Honduran history and current political realities and struggles.

The ream will be selling baked goods before and after the service on Feb. 9. All proceeds will go towards building latrines, painting and doing repairs in the elementary school, and various other requested projects in the community of El Pital, Honduras. The Team will be traveling to Honduras March 22-29.

Please email Allie Gassmann if you would like to get involved.

Thanks for feeding our food barrel

Thanks to those who put food items in our barrel near the elevator over the past few months. In November, 1,114 pounds went to the Food Bank Market. Please, everyone, continue to contribute food for those in our community who need help. Please also note there is a bucket next to the barrel for cash donations!

Loaves and Fishes update by Fred Young, Social Action Team Chair

It was a bitterly cold day on Jan. 19 — single-digit temperatures and a stiff wind. For the clients, Carhart jackets over hoodies over shirts over t-shirts were de rigeur. Layers. I was good for about five minutes outside that day; these folks were out all day long. We went through 125 plates. As we were cleaning up, the fire alarm went off, and people were still eating. Everybody had to get out until the fire truck came and gave the all-clear. Somebody was smoking in the bathroom; apparently this is not unprecedented.

Here are the people who either donated food, or their time to serve and clean up, or both:

  • Karen Dwyer
  • Carole Simon
  • Fred Young
  • Vic Myers
  • Gregg Suhler
  • Sharon Lee
  • Connie Johnmeyer
  • Dennis Crouch
  • Sarah Wolcott
  • Todd Iveson
  • Kathy Myers
  • Laura Foley
  • Rosann M Geiser
  • Megan Gore
  • Jeff White

UUCC maintains a fund to reimburse members and friends for the cost of their donated food. Anyone who is hesitant to participate in the food donation because of the cost of the food can submit a voucher and a receipt for reimbursement. UUCC now has a dropdown item on the website donation page so you can donate directly to this fund. At present, your donations are the only mechanism to replenish this Fund. If you would like to support the Loaves and Fishes meals, but are unable to prepare food or be a server, you can donate to the Reimbursement Fund.