Social Justice Committee

About the Social Justice Committee

The Social Justice Committee seeks to be a central resource and conduit for social justice work expressed by the values, concerns, and interests of the congregation.  Various working groups are approved, funded, or supported by the committee.  There are numerous ways that we can make a difference in the world.  We can donate food, we can walk for affordable housing, we can support the Urban Ministry, we can support advocacy and education for prisoners, and we can educate ourselves about climate change.  If you have a passion for a social justice issue and would like to find out how to start a working group or if or would like to join the Social Justice Committee, please contact a committee member or email socialjustice . 

If you want to schedule a social justice-related one-time event, please complete an event application form.  If you are part of a group of people that wants to create a project or working group, please complete a Project-or-Working-Group application form.  Return your form one week before the Social Justice Committee's monthly meeting to get on the agenda.  The meeting is usually the second Monday of the month.  It is very helpful if you allow a couple of months for an event to be scheduled. 

Guest at Your Table

First Parish supports the UU Service Committee's work through their Guest at Your Table Boxes.  We usually begin Guest at Your Table celebration on the Sunday before Thanksgiving (November 22, 2009).

During Guest at Your Table, participants keep a colorful Guest at Your Table box — with photographs of special guests from around the world — in a prominent place in their home, like the dining room table.

Over the next four to six weeks, participants get to know your special guests by reading aloud to family and friends real-life stories from Stories of Hope (PDF).  Stories of Hope is the focal point of the Guest at Your Table experience, connecting UUs to real people whose lives have been transformed by the shared struggle for human rights.  (Stories are written at all reading levels.)

Click here to learn more about the Guest at Your Table program.

Ethical Eating:  Food and Environmental Justice CSAI

Delegates at the 2008 General Assembly in Fort Lauderdale, FL, selected "Ethical Eating" to be the 2008-2012 Congregational Study/Action Issue (CSAI) of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.  You can get more information on Ethical Eating here. 

The following Working Groups have news to share:

Arlington Food Pantry Donations (Contact Person:  Jean Nagle)

Donation boxes are by the front door and the office door; donations are delivered to Church of Our Savior on Fridays.  Items desired for donation include:

Dried cereal; milk; canned fruit and vegetables; jelly and jam; peanut butter; tuna fish and canned meats; meals in a can such as spaghetti, stew, hash, ravioli, soup; fruit juices; coffee; tea; spaghetti; pasta; rice; tomato and spaghetti sauce; crackers, cookies, and baking mixes; baby food; soap, detergent and shampoo; toothpaste and toothbrushes; toilet tissue and paper towels.  Avoid glass and perishable foods.

Monetary donations to the Arlington Food Pantry can be sent to:  The Arlington Food Pantry, Department of Human Services; 670R Mass Ave., Arlington, MA 02476

Consider volunteering, either Fridays from 1-3pm or on the Monday before the second Tuesday of each month from 1-3pm.  Location:  Church of Our Savior; 21 Marathon St.; Arlington.  Call (781) 316-3250 to volunteer.

Affordable Housing (Contact Persons:  Debby Lewis and Jan Blodgett)

First Parish is a member of the Housing Corporation of Arlington (HCA), a community organization that promotes affordable housing in town by buying scattered two-family houses and small apartment buildings to rent at below-market rates to low and moderate income families.  HCA also administers a Homelessness Prevention Fund designed to help families over a difficult time, allowing them to stay in their homes.  There are a number of annual volunteer activities for HCA:  the Walk for Affordable Housing in April, outdoor clean-up days at various properties in the Spring and the Fall, and help with fundraising mailings.  For more information, contact First Parish members Debby Lewis (debnlewis@verizon.net) or Jan Blodgett (janb@dancing-data.com) or HCA's Outreach Coordinator, Joanna Ain at (781) 316-3606. 

Red Cross Blood Drive (Contact Person:  John Hodges)

Social Responsibility sponsors the hosting of several blood drives each year in our church.  The work is spearheaded by John Hodges and utilizes a good pool of volunteers in setup, registration, entertainment for those waiting, clean up and more.  To sign up to help, use this form. 

Urban Connections (Contact Person:  Lorraine Cooley)

Through the generosity of First Parish members and coordination by the Urban Connections Group, the UU Urban Ministry in Roxbury (www.uuum.org) had wonderful food at its December 2008 Holiday Party.  Please click here to see more about our activities and pictures of the UU Urban Ministry Christmas party. 

Urban Connections is a working group of the Social Justice Committee.  For more information about the group and the date for our next meeting, e-mail uconnections@firstparish.info .

Partakers (Contact Person:  Susan Jordan)

Partakers is an advocacy group that champions legislative reform and provides mentors for prisoners seeking a college degree through the joint efforts of Partakers and the Boston University Prison Education Program.  First Parish has two mentor visiting teams - one visiting Hector at Norfolk and one visiting Robin at Framingham.  Both Hector and Robin are exceptional students and are excelling in the BU program.  They both are grateful to the church and to their mentors for the support and encouragement.

Green Sanctuary/Climate Change Group (Contact:  David Landskov)

In 2007 we were excited to have Arlington resident and president of the Union of Concerned Scientists, Kevin Knobloch, as our guest speaker for the Shinn service.  He spoke to us about climate change and what we can do to influence the sustainability of our world.

Please click here to see more information that we have about climate change.

We are exploring what it would take to become a "Green Sanctuary."  More information on the Green Sanctuaries movement can be found at UU Ministry for Earth.

Please stop by the social justice table at coffee/friendship hour if you have an interest in working on issues concerning global climate change or email gogreen@firstparish.info.

Click here to see 350.org's Video:  Because the World Needs to Know.