Social Justice Resources

To join the Social Justice Action Committee of the OMD email list, please visit the following website: groups.yahoo.com/group/OMDSJAC

Here are links to social justice websites that can provide resources for congregations and individuals engaged in social justice work.

Immigration Rights Information is being posted on a new website run by Church World Services. You can find the website at http://supportimmigrationreform.org; their facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/immigrantsandrefugees; and follow them on twitter at http://twitter.com/CWS_IRP.

SSL Announces Matching Grant Program - The Unitarian Universalist Fund for Social Responsibility has set aside $25,000 for matching grants for congregations engaged in the SSL campaign. Grants will be between $500 and $1,500 and available on a rolling basis. Preference will be given to congregations working in community and interfaith partnerships to actively change the public dialogue and public policy. For more information, visit www.StandingontheSideofLove.org.

Want to help your congregants and community deal with the economic downturn? See our Economic Resources pages.

Anti-Racism and Diversity Inclusion Resource Packet. The Metro NY Anti-Racism and Diversity Committee has created a packet of resources to help congregations with inclusive language as was part of a responsive resolution at GA 2009. The resources are designed to help congregations to discuss the work of anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural transformation in a positive, affirming and constructive way. It includes a ready-to-go workshop on the subject (easily changed into a Small Group Ministry session), materials to begin this conversation with children, and resources for addressing the topics of inclusion and hospitality in worship. Download the packet at http://uumetrony.org/documents/ARDC_Inclusion_Resource_Packet.pdf

Are you intersted in the Green Sanctuary Program? Visit the UUA website at www.uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/greensanctuary/index.html

OMD Congregations Working Towards Justice - Read the feature article from District Doings on the Social Transformation Work being done by some of our congregations.

OMD UUSC Honor Congregations - The UUSC has announced the honor congregations for 2007-08

Earth and Spirit: Reconnecting with the Natural World: Encounters With Hope & Wonder. Take a few moment from your day to restore your spirit and reconnect with the wonders of Earth. Share your responses and read others on our new Earth & Spirit Blog that can be accessed through the UUMFE website

Ethical Eating. The resource guide for the Congregational Study/Action Issue (CSAI) Ethical Eating is now available to download on the UUA website. Visit http://www.uua.org/socialjustice/issuesprocess/, or download directly as a pdf file from http://www.uua.org/documents/washingtonoffice/ethicaleating/studyguide.pdf

UUA's Action of the Month. Would your congregation like to help bend the arc of the universe towards justice by participating in denomination-wide social justice campaigns?  Would you like comprehensive action resources delivered monthly to your church and your email inbox?  Would you like actions spread throughout the entire year on a schedule? If so, we have just the opportunity for you! The Unitarian Universalist Association’s Advocacy and Witness staff group is launching an exciting initiative called Action of the Month.  Each month, the UUA will implement robust action campaigns that aim to engage congregations and individual UUs.  Actions of the Month will focus on accomplishing concrete policy objectives that reflect our faith values. Click here to read about this month's project.

Guest at Your Table Materials for the Annual UUSC Guest At Your Table campaign are available online at www.uusc.org/guest. Congregations are also mailed a packet of materials.

Funding for Training and Membership Dues in Congregation-Based Community Organizing
NEW! The Fund for UU Social Responsibility will offer matching grants for congregations wishing to join a congregation-based community organization (CBCO). This "Special Matching Fund for Congregation-Based Community Organizing Grants" will provide a resource for UU congregations and their leaders to draw upon in initiating CBCO work. As a matching fund, congregations will be expected to make their own financial commitment as a condition of receiving a grant. The Fund is also offering matching grants for congregational leaders to attend CBCO training. The UU Funding Program is proud to add this $80,000 initiative to their grant making program. There will be an application process of two cycles a year for matching membership grants - in March and September - and for smaller matching grants for training at any time. Please see go to www.uua.org/giving/fundingprogram for more information. You can also write to uufp at aol.com for an application and guidelines to be e-mailed to you. For more information about CBCO, how to find a CBCO near your congregation, and for information on CBCO Network trainings see www.uua.org/socialjustice, select resources and click on Congregation-Based Community Organizing (or go to www.uua.org/leaders/leaderslibrary/congregation- basedcommunity/index.shtml).

Green Sanctuary Program. This program has officially moved from UU Ministry for the Earth to the UUA’s Office of Congregational Stewardship Services. The office will follow the certification process and assist congregations who are interested in becoming green sanctuaries. To learn more  about the program visit http://uuministryforearth.org/grs_overview.htm.

New Sanctuary Movement. This movement is a return of a program that was used in the 1980s to protect thousands of Central America refugees. The movement allows for congregations to provide hospitality and protection to a limited number of immigrant families whose legal cases clearly reveal the contradictions and moral injustice of our current immigration system. You can learn more about this program at www.newsanctuary movmement.org. To learn more about UU participation, contact Susan Leslie, Directior of the UUA Office of Congregational Advocacy and Witness at sleslie at uua.org or 617-948-4607.

UU Microfinance. This is a newer program where congregations and groups start microfinance banks in developing countries. The loans help people start new businesses, provide support for families, allow children to gain education and help eliminate hunger. Several churches in our district are doing this now. If your congregation is interested in this program visit www.uumicrofinance.org to learn more.

Interested in what the UUA is doing in social justice? Sign up for the UUA Washington Office for Advocacy Email News and Updates. You can do this at their website. And you can find out everything social justice related that the UUA is working on as well as search past resolutions and study action issues at www.uua.org/socialjustice.

UUA Commission on Social Witness- UU Social Witness homepage. This is the commission that is in charge of the study action issues and the actions of immediate witness process at General Assembly each year. You can find the text and study guides for current study action issues and actions of immediate witness at their website. To learn more about study action issues and actions of immediate witness, check the UUA's site: www.uua.org/socialjustice/issuesprocess/index.shtml. You can learn more about the current issue of Peacemaking here.

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee - Human rights and social justice. This is an affiliated organization of the UUA and does most of the social justice work of the UUA. You can find information here about the Guest at your Table program, work camps and social justice trips, religious education materials and current projects.

American Civil Liberties Union - National organization defending the Bill of Rights

American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio - Local chapter of the ACLU

To find a variety of resources for congregations on most social justice issues, visit the UUA's website pages on social justice. For pages on the old site that haven't been moved yet, check archive.uua.org/programs/justice/

The Washington Office of the UUA is our lobby in Washington as well as being our voice on a variety of issues. To learn more about this department, visit http://www.uua.org/aboutus/professionalstaff/advocacywitness/washingtonoffice/index.php.

Trying to plan social justice projects for religious education classes or the entire congregation to participate in? Check out some of these sites: Heifer Project provides curricula, classrooms posters and activities as well as information about where the money goes as children raise money to purchase animals for others to receive and learn to care for. Empty Bowls is a program that helps people understand hunger and raises money for local soup kitchens and food pantries. Teaching Tolerance is a publication of the Southern Poverty Law Center and has tons of resources on diversity conflict resolution. Earth 911 has information about recycling centers, Earth Day and other environmental issues.