Adopt-A-Highway

AUUC's quarterly cleanup project for Huntsman Boulevard.  Older children, teens, and adults can all take part in this community clean up.

Contacts: Pete Fontneau, Ed Jaffee

 

Beacon House

This UU urban ministry program serves at-risk youth and families living in Edgewood Terrace, Northeast Washington, DC.  Opportunities for service include tutoring, a summer picnic, and collection of school supplies.

Contact: Christine Beauvais

 

CROP Hunger Walk

This community-based interfaith event raises funds for local hunger-fighting agencies as well as the international relief and development efforts of Church World Service.  The Burke area CROP Hunger Walk involves about 20 congregations and organizations and is held annually on the Sunday before Thanksgiving at 2 p.m. This event is great for a variety of ages. The walk is about 3 to 4 miles long and is mostly stroller/wheelchair accessible.  Shuttle bus service to return to parked cars is planned.

Contact: Pete Fontneau

 

Homelessness and Affordable Housing

AUUC works with local organizations in efforts to support the homeless population and more affordable housing. Each winter, in conjunction with FACETS, we provide a hypothermia shelter for a week in our sanctuary, with 3 meals a day and transportation to and from the church for up to 29 homeless guests. Each quarter, we supply and serve a dinner to the residents of the Eleanor Kennedy Homeless Shelter in Alexandria, which is run by New Hope Housing. As part of Interfaith Housing Ministries, we have provided mentors to recently homeless families living in subsidized housing. As members of Communities of Faith United for Housing, we support the Fairfax County 10-year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.

Contacts: Brian Hobbs, Shelley Brosnan, Ed Kringer

 

General Assembly Study/Action Issues

Each year at its nationwide General Assembly of congregations, the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) votes on social justice-related issues to be studied leading to actions to be taken. Activities might include studying an issue, educating the congregation, taking a social witness stand, or performing legislative advocacy.

Contact: Claire Brown

 

Interfaith Advocacy

AUUC works with two interfaith groups on efforts to promote social justice legislation in Virginia – Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (V.O.I.C.E.) and the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy.

Contacts: Ed Kringer (VICPP), Ed Jaffee and

Rev. Scott Sammler-Michael (V.O.I.C.E.)

 

Mitten Tree & Holiday Gifts

AUUC collects mittens, hats and scarves, plus Christmastime gifts for children, teens and seniors at Beacon House. This is a great way to get the whole family involved with outreach.

Contacts: Christine Beauvais (gifts),

Director of Lifespan Education (mitten tree)

 

Outreach Collections

As part of its overall mission, the committee annually selects 12 recipients of special monthly collections to benefit a wide range of worthwhile tax-exempt organizations, at the same time educating the congregation about these local, regional, national and international causes.  We welcome suggestions for recipients of our Outreach Collections from anyone in the congregation.

Contact:  Nancy Davis

 

Partner School in India

Each year, AUUC sponsors 23 of the poorest children in the Unitarian School in Mawkria, India, a village accessible only by a steep mountain path. For each student, $40 is donated by a church member to cover the cost of books, desk repairs, a subsidy to the low-paid teacher, and incidental expenses for a year.

Contact: Marsha White

 

Peace Promotion

Each year we support the Season for Nonviolence (Jan 30 – Apr 4), a time of peacemaking and consciousness-raising opportunity, inspired by the work of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  In addition, we support the Student Peace Awards of Fairfax County given annually to local high school students to promote and reward peacemaking efforts.

Contacts: Michele Andersen (SNV)

Nancy Davis (Peace Awards)

 

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

UUSC is a voluntary, non-sectarian organization working in partnership with grassroots organizations in the US and abroad to confront oppression and advance justice throughout the world. We support them through yearly contributions, occasional Outreach Collections, Guest at Your Table boxes, and Fair Trade sales.

Contact: Pete Fontneau.

 

Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice

UUSJ unites and leads the social justice work of UUs in the Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia region by fostering collaboration among UU churches and by organizing advocacy workshops and training events. There are opportunities to join task forces and committees.

Contact: Ed Kringer