Service Projects
1stUUPB is actively involved in Justice projects throughout our community.
Ways you can actively participate:
Choose a focus area that speaks to your heart and contact the leader to ask how you can help.
Don’t see one you like? Propose to lead a new project! We strongly encourage that new Projects have the support of at least three active members of our congregation
Educational Presentations, Films: Leaders: Wayne Johnson and Dick Hattwick On the third Saturday of the month at 12:30pm, Wayne and Dick show a relevant film, often on racial issues, followed by a discussion. From time to time JAM hosts a Teaching Thursday.
Environmental Justice / Climate Change: Leader: Ramsay Laing
We are committed to design an outreach plan in West Palm Beach to educate 100 residents about projected climate impacts and to document their adaptation concerns and opinions about climate change priorities. We will work with our community partner, Mothers Against Murderers Association, to have information that was gathered in the diverse community included in the civic input into adaptation plans.
We are also planning a major climate event for January.
Food Sufficiency: Leader: Bob Ashmore
We fill baggies with lentils, rice, freeze-dried vegetables and sea salt for distribution to children and their families in need of nutritious meals. We’ve provided roughly 10,000 meals to the Palm Beach County Schools Title I unit, which then distributes the packages to families mainly in the Glades area where there is substantial food insufficiency We gather three times during the year to package the food. We also make weekly donations to Lake Park Food Pantry.
Racial Justice: Leader: Judy Bonner
Our Congregation supports the Black Lives Matter Movement and has actively follows the UUA 2015 Action of Immediate Witness.
Immigrant Justice: Leader: Larry Stauber
We support the DACA program and have established our grounds as a sanctuary for those eligible for DACA (“Dreamers”) who are threatened with deportation.
Economic Justice: Leader: Sam Irwin
The Harriet Glasner Social Justice Scholarship provides a scholarship of up to $5000 to students pursuing their GED, or college degree at either a private or public college, university, or trade school. Need and social action activities are major considerations for awards. up to $10,000 is awarded annually..
OUR WORK WITH OTHERS
People Engaged in Active Community Efforts (P.E.A.C.E): Leader: Barbara Hatzfeld.
We join with other religious organizations for Social Justice change in Palm Beach County. Current actions include homelessness, youth arrests, IDs and deportations. Nehemiah Action Assembly: 1stUUPB joins 3,000 others to confront leaders about commitments to action.
Family Promise: The Family Promise Network consists of 13 churches and synagogues dedicated to helping homeless families in our community regain their independence. We provide meals and housing twice a year for a week.
Mothers Against Murderers Association: Mission: To assist parents or guardians of murder victims and to provide quality programs for youth that will turn them away from violent acts. This organization counsels grieving families who have lost a member to murder. When the mothers are ready, the group brings them to speak to prisoners about the damage murder does to survivors, including children too young to remember a slain parent. We will be partnering with them in several areas –-They are in desperate need of a Grant writer.
Ongoing Activities:
Fair Trade: Sylvia Ansay
Collection for Lake Worth Food Pantry: needs leader
Collection for Haiti: Judy Bonner
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC): Judy Bonner
Sunday services dedicated to social justice: Larry Stauber
Some of our Yearly Recurring Events;
Collections for school supplies and other causes in cooperation with the 1stUUPB Children and Youth program.
International Day of Peace Sep 21
Soup lunch around Thanksgiving with proceeds to charity
Holiday collections
MLK Parade
Gay Pride Parade