Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto

Cause of the Month

Background:  Each month the Church supports a social service organization by donating 10% of non-pledge offerings at the Sunday services.  Initially the Causes were chosen by the Social Justice Committee, then Program Council had responsibility and chose to have elections for individual causes, and now Action Council has responsibility. 

Process: The Action Council solicited suggestions from the congregation and considered the following factors  in making its Cause recommendations for fiscal year 2010:

• Our relationship with the group, including whether there is a related Task Force
• Who do they serve; what is their funding base
• Balance among social service, direct action, education, community organizing and advocacy causes
• Long-term perspective: causes to be reviewed each year and possible new or renewed selections to be made

“Track Watch”—May

As part of the Teen Suicide Prevention Plan the Palo Alto Police Department has retained a private security firm to be on site 7 days a week for the hours the Caltrain passenger line runs. The objective is to continue this staffing at least through the end of the school year. The City is accepting donations to support this effort.

RE Purple Class Social Action Project—June
Purple Class (middle school age) will make some Sunday lunches at Stevenson House
South Palo Alto Food Closet--July
The South Palo Alto Food Closet is a grocery program located at the Covenant Presbyterian Church on East Meadow Drive in Palo Alto. This food program is designed to help needy families with children or disabilities by assisting them in their weekly food needs.

Palo Alto Housing Corp. (Resident Services Program)--August
The Resident Services Program is an important component of Palo Alto Housing Corporation, a private non-profit agency providing low- to moderate-income housing. It assists resident households in accessing community resources so that health, financial or emotional issues get focus before they affect the obligations of tenancy.

Hotel de Zink—September
Hotel de Zink, a rotating church shelter program run by InnVision, Hotel de Zink is hosted by UUCPA during September. We offer breakfast, dinner, and a place to sleep for 10 - 15 homeless community members. We need volunteers to provide dinner each night as well as funds to cover miscellaneous costs for food and supplies.

East Palo Alto Kids Foundation—October
East Palo Alto Kids Foundation (EPAK) is a community-based, all-volunteer organization whose mission is to promote academic success for students in East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park by providing grants directly to classroom teachers and other frontline educators. The majority of grants enrich basic literacy, math, science and technology curricula.  Many students are in non-English speaking households.

Opportunity Center (via InnVision)--November
The Palo Alto Opportunity Center offers studio and 1-2 bedroom family apartments.  The Center also provides light meals, clothing, a mail address, bus passes, case management and emergency rent assistance--to homeless and at-risk individuals, along with operating a licensed community medical clinic.  The Center is a unit of InnVision, and funds provided by UUCPA donations will be specified to support the Center.

South Bay Sanctuary Covenant—December
South Bay Sanctuary Covenant (SBSC) is an interfaith, non-partisan organization of churches and individuals in the Bay Area from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. The group is concerned with peace, justice and liberation for the people of Central America and for the refugees who have fled these areas. 

Outlet—January 2010
Outlet is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQQ) Youth organization based in Mountain View, California. As the Peninsula's only comprehensive LGBTQQ youth organization, it has provided services to LGBTQQ youth and adults who work with youth in the Bay Area.  Bilingual Spanish services are also provided.

Stevenson House—February
Stevenson House’s mission is to provide affordable housing where older, independent adults enjoy a safe and caring community.  Stevenson House opened its doors in 1968. Built under the sponsorship of Palo Alto Senior Housing Project, Inc., Stevenson House has received ongoing support from the UUCPA and also from the greater community.

UU Legislative Ministry-California—March
UULM works to build a statewide education and advocacy network that shares information and policy expertise, particularly from member UUs; to train new leadership, with special attention to involvement of youth and young adults; and to raise the visibility of Unitarian Universalism and its values to policy makers and the larger community.

UU Ministry for the Earth—April
UUMFE works to inspire, facilitate and support personal, congregational and denominational practices that honor and sustain the Earth and all beings. Among other things they created the Green Sanctuary Program and the Ethical Eating curriculum and sponsor an Environmental Justice intern in the UUA Office of Advocacy and Witness in  Washington DC.

Other Organizations That We Have Supported

• Carmen Broz El Salvador Projects
• Christmas Bureau of Palo Alto
• Friends Outside
• Starr King School for the Ministry

Special Collections:

• Community Working Group
• Gulf Coast Relief Fund
• Pakistani Earthquake Aid (UUSC)
• Rumanian Flood Relief (UUSC)
• Tsunami (UUSC Southeast Asian Relief)