The Social Action and Outreach Committee coordinates our congregation’s efforts for social justice and community involvement. The committee informs the congregation on justice issues and community needs, and facilitates congregational participation in service and advocacy work.

Ongoing Social Action and Outreach Projects

• Lobbying legislators in conjunction with UU Mass Action to end mass incarceration
• Acting on immigration and refugee issues in Massachusetts
• Cooking once a month at the Women’s Lunch Place in Boston
• Organizing on-going food donations to the Woburn Council of Social Concern
• Collecting Christmas gifts and clothes for marginalized people
• Providing short and longer opportunities for volunteering

Would you like to become active in Social Justice issues in our state? We support UU Mass Action, whose weekly newsletter educates us on timely issues and what we can do, ex.: Immigrant rights and granting asylum status; Reforming the Incarceration system; Climate action and renewable energy; Economic inequality. See http://www.uumassaction.org for excellent information every week.

Twice a year members may order Fair Trade Coffee and Chocolate. By purchasing from Equal Exchange at cost we support the cooperatives of small farmers in Central and South America and Africa. Since most mainstream chocolate comes from cacao plantations in West Africa, we can reduce harmful child labor there. Equal Exchange coffee and chocolates, are sourced fairly from small-scale farmer co-ops. Check-out http://equalexchange.coop/

Grants

Annually, we review the grant applications recommended by our members and staff to allocate 3 to 5% of the congregation’s budget, to justice and charitable groups whose programs align with our Mission and Vision and with our members’ priorities. The Committee invites members to recommend non-profit organizations for these Grants via completion of the Grant Application Form 2024.   We need a new application each year even if your organization has received a grant in the past.  If you plan to apply for a grant this year, please file an intent with the committee by the last day of February: saoc@winchesteruu.org Applications must be received by March 24. Grant decisions will be made in April, announced in May and disbursed by August 31st .

Share the Plate

Members of the congregation, our staff and minister may recommend charities for the Share the Plate program. The Social Action and Outreach Committee decides which charities to approve for the list, which the Minister uses as her source to select a recipient to receive half of the Sunday offering.

Update on the 8th Principle Vote

On May 15th 2022, after months of learning and discussion, the WUS congregation voted at the Annual Meeting to adopt the 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism.  Please go here for much more detail and further understanding of this important process within the UUA.