The Social Justice Committee

We seek to apply our UU Purposes and Principals both in our faith community and the wider world. We challenge each other to promote justice, equity and compassion through service, education, organizing, advocacy, and witness. Our goal is to be Delaware County leaders in helping assure that all are treated justly with respect, dignity and fairness.

UUCDC's Social Justice Committee serves as an umbrella committee for the various ongoing social justice projects at UUCDC. We sponsor forums, coordinate events, develops the social justice budget, and support on-going social justice projects. We meet on the first Tuesday of each month of the church year at 7PM. If you can help with this work or have a project you'd like us to consider supporting, please join us. We welcome your participation.

UUCDC'S Social Action Forums

The Social Justice Committee sponsors a series of forums each year. These forums are intended to open discussion within UUCDC and with the surrounding community about matters of social concern. We intend for the information presented to lead to continuing actions to effect change.

In 2006-2007 we presented forums about post traumatic stress among returning veterans, about global warming, and about issues of stigma facing the mentally ill.

We welcome ideas for new forums. Community participation is encouraged. All are welcome.

We have presented forums about volunteer experiences in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, about volunteer opportunities in the City of Chester, about the ways Wal-Mart is changing our communities, and about the particular challenges facing eastern Delaware County.

We welcome ideas for new forums. Please feel free to attend our forums whether you attend UUCDC or not.

Gun Violence Epidemic

In October, we presented a forum entitled "The Gun Violence Epidemic -- Can the Suburbs Make a Difference?" Michael Chitwood, superintendent of the Upper Darby Police Department, Diane Edbril, executive director of the statewide organization CeaseFire PA, and Wanda Moore, director of Peace in the Streets! Peace on Earth!, addressed the problem from the perspectives of law enforcement, legislation, and the community. If you would like to send a letter to your state senator about legislation to help control to rising tide of gun violence, click on this link for the handgun bill, then print it and send it to your representative. If you do not know the name of your legislator, click here. (You can find your senator by entering your zip code, or by clicking on the county and following from there. Clicking on their name will provide you with the address of his or her office.

Taskforce on Hunger

UUCDC's Task Force on Hunger prepares and serves dinner for approximately 150 homeless individuals at the Life Center Shelter in Upper Darby on the 2nd Saturday of each month.

Volunteers are needed to purchase and prepare food items in advance, and also to serve the dinner. A sign-up sheet for food servers is located on the bulletin board near the Fellowship Hall. If you would like to volunteer to donate food items each month, contact Michelle Yerger or the Ruth Keleman .

What kind of commitment is involved? - Monthly delivery of food items, 2 hrs/mo.

Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN)

The IHN is an inter-faith program that provides lodging and food resources for homeless families in the Delaware County area. All participating congregations provide sleeping quarters and three meals a day for homeless families who are admitted to the program from Sunday evening until the following Sunday morning. Guests spend the evenings at our church, enjoying a hot dinner with a volunteer host family and then stay the night. A continental breakfast and fixings for a bag lunch are also donated by church members. Weeks are rotated throughout all the host congregations in the network. UUCDC will host families for 5 weeks of the year.

We always need volunteers to provide food, other living requirements and friendship. If you would like to know more about the Interfaith Hospitality Network, contact Marybeth Hoffman or Tiffany Hanulec.

Adopt-a-Family for the Holidays

Each Christmas UUCDC requests information from by the County Child Welfare Agency regarding families in need. We provide them with gifts and food to brighten their holiday season. Volunteers are needed to donate items as well as to collect and distribute them. Monetary donations are also a big help. More information will be forthcoming as the holiday season draws near, or you may contact the church office for more information.

What kind of commitment is involved? - Once a year donation or participation

Report to the General Assembly on Racism and Classism Events

In the fall of 2006, the Board of Trustees charged the Coordinating Council of UUCDC with the task of having our church hold at least on program responding racism and classism. Rather than holding one major event to address these issues, the Council decided to sponsor a series of events throughout the year to heighten awareness and propose solutions to these topics. Click on this link to view the results of this undertaking: Report to the General Assembly on the Events and Activities related to Racism and Classism During the Past Year.

Martin Luther King Day of Service

Information about participation in programming in the City of Chester is coming soon!