The Social Justice Committee
The Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven has established the Social Justice committee to stimulate, encourage and coordinate the activities of the many organizations within the church that do social justice work.
The following activities, in which the church is currently involved, fall under the purview of the Social Justice Committee. For more information on how to become involved, please contact the member listed or the Church office.
Share the Plate: This is a program of community giving sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven. Each Sunday, 50% of the non-pledge collections at our church are donated to a local, regional or global non-profit organization, selected on a monthly basis, that does work in keeping with our UU principles.
Contact Person: Jack Dean
Welcoming Congregation: Our church welcomes and nurtures the inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people into the life of the congregation. A Welcoming Congregation Fellowship exists within the church to create educational forums and stimulate the furtherance of this objective.
Contact person: David Sykes
Green Sanctuary: Our church is a “green sanctuary”, as accredited by the UU Ministry for Earth. We have several initiatives underway as we work to maintain our accreditation and do our part to increase sustainable practices in our church and community.
Contact person: Bill Elliott
The New Bedford Soup Kitchen: Our church takes a turn once a month preparing and serving lunch at the Pilgrim United Church in New Bedford. The lunch feeds many of the poor and homeless living in the center of New Bedford.
Contact person: Judith Downing
Shepherd’s Pantry Food Bank: Non-perishable food donations are collected and delivered to the Shepherd’s Pantry throughout the year. The Pantry provides food for families in the Greater New Bedford area who struggle to put food on their tables. Our congregation also provides volunteers to pack bags and distribute them to the needy on a 7-week rotational basis.
Contact person: Cathie Walsh
Equal Exchange Coffee: Coffee purchased 100% from small farmer cooperatives according to Fair Trade Standards is served during Coffee Hour every Sunday and is available for purchase along with a variety of chocolates and nuts.
Contact person: Brian Walsh
Seasonal Projects
Alternative Gift Fair: Each year in November, the Women’s Alliance of our church sponsors an alternative gift fair that provides an opportunity for people to purchase gifts and make donations to organizations that create change in our world.
Contact person: Paige Roth
Guest at Your Table: Collection boxes are distributed at Thanksgiving and collected after Christmas in support of the UU Service Committee to help fund their charitable and human rights projects throughout the world. Money is placed in these boxes at mealtimes as a symbol of feeding the needy in the third world.
Contact person: Stephanie Lawrence
Holiday Hope: The church annually helps several needy families through Child and Family Services in New Bedford. People in our church select tags with requested gifts/food and purchase them as a way to brighten the season for families who have fallen on hard times. This is an intergenerational project that also involves the children and youth of the church.
Contact person: Kym Welty
Adopt-A-Shoreline: The church monitors a piece of property along the Fairhaven waterfront. The beach is cleaned bi-monthly, except during inclement weather, and the trash is categorized and reported on to the Coalition for Buzzards Bay’s “Operation Clean Sweep” program.
Contact person: Bob Rocha
The Baby Project: Provides funds for the purchase of diapers. They are distributed through the New Bedford Food Pantry.
Contact person: Shauna McClelland
