Each week this congregation gives half of all offerings collected in our plate to local organizations whose work furthers our mission. Here are some of our prior recipients. All members and friends are invited to nominate an organization that they’re familiar with or inspired by.

• Share the Plate – 9/13/26 and 9/20/26 – Meadville Lombard

  The Share the Plate recipient for Sunday, September 13 and 20 is Meadville Lombard Theological School’s General Scholarship Fund. As a new school year gets underway, Meadville Lombard is nurturing learners from diverse faith traditions to embody the collaborative work of liberation through congregational and community leadership. They are carrying forward the Living Tradition of Unitarian Universalism as a new generation of critically needed, progressive faith leaders emerges, following more than 180 years of theological education rooted in the sacred work of repairing, rebuilding, and the restoration of justice, equity and compassion. They were nominated by Rev. Denise in honor of all the alumni ministers JRUUC has encountered.

• Share the Plate – 8/30/26 and 9/6/26 Worker Justice Wisconsin

  The Share the Plate for Sundays August 30th and September 6th is Worker Justice Wisconsin. Worker Justice Wisconsin partners with low-wage and immigrant non-unionized workers in their struggle for dignity at work by building collective power together with faith and labor allies. They empower workers to stand up for their rights and fight for a just and living wage for all, paid time off for all, workplaces free from discrimination and harassment, opportunities for collective bargaining without retaliation, and a healthy work life balance. Worker Justice Wisconsin was nominated by the Worship Team.

• Share the Plate – 8/9/26 and 8/16/26 OutReach

  The Share the Plate recipient for August 9th and 16th is OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center. Outreach is a trusted gathering place in Madison and south central Wisconsin dedicated to advancing equity, connection, and well-being for LGBTQ+ people. For more than 50 years, they’ve offered supportive programs, services, and inclusive spaces where people build community and feel celebrated. They host the annual Magic Pride Festival at Warner Park happening this year on August 16. Thank you to Mary Schaper for the nomination! 

• Share the Plate – 7/26/26 and 8/2/26 Fire Help Fund

  The Share the Plate for July 26 and August 2 will be the United Way of Northeastern Minnesota’s Fire Help fund. 
  Thousands of people in northeastern Minnesota remain displaced or on standby as wildfires continue to burn across the region. UWNEMN is closely monitoring the Boundary Waters wildfires and working with their colleagues in disaster relief and recovery for the communities impacted. All funds raised go directly to support local disaster relief and recovery efforts.

• Share the Plate – 7/12/26 and 7/19/26 Friends of Cherokee Marsh

  The Share the Plate recipient for Sunday, July 12 and 19, is the Friends of Cherokee Marsh. The Friends of Cherokee Marsh is a nonprofit organization of volunteers that collaborates with professional staff at Madison Parks, Dane County Parks, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to protect, restore, and promote enjoyment of the wetlands and uplands of the Cherokee Marsh, Dane County’s largest wetland. They were nominated by Drew Lehmann.

• Share the Plate – 6/28/26 and 7/5/26 Natural Path Sanctuary

  Our Share the Plate recipient for 6/28/26 and 7/5/26 is Natural Path Sanctuary. The Natural Path Sanctuary serves two purposes – providing a natural burial grounds and supporting the Farley Center. The Natural Path Sanctuary is the only green burial grounds in the world helping support a farm incubator and peace and justice initiatives. The Farley Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting ecological sustainability, social justice, and peace. It is located outside of Verona, WI. Thank you to Jeanette Clawson for nominating them!

• Share the Plate – 6/21/26 Side With Love

  The offering on 6/21/26 will support Side with Love, the organizing strategy team of the Unitarian Universalist Association.  They harness the power of love to confront oppression and build a world where all people can thrive.  Through organizing, leadership development, political education, and collective action, Side with Love equips Unitarian Universalists and aligned communities to take spiritually grounded, justice-driven action in this decisive moment. (This week’s donations will go entirely to Side with Love, instead of half going to the congregation and half to the organization.)

• Share the Plate – 6/7/26 and 6/14/26 Friends of State Street Family

  The Share the Plate recipient for Sunday June 7 and 14 is Friends of the State Street Family. FSSF provides help, hope, and friendship to our neighbors struggling with the challenges of homelessness by giving them basic need services for survival. Their goal is to help our homeless neighbors on their journey to permanent, supportive housing, support for sobriety, trauma counseling, medical or mental health care. They were nominated by Liz Green.

• Share the Plate – 5/24/26 and 5/31/26 GSAFE

  The Share the Plate for Sunday May 24 and Sunday May 31 is GSAFE.  GSAFE increases the capacity of LGBTQ youth and students, educational staff and families to create just school environments where all LGBTQ youth and students thrive. They do this through developing youth leadership, advancing educational justice, deepening racial, gender and social justice, supporting gay-straight alliances and training educators. They were nominated by Virginia Harrison.

• Share the Plate – 5/10/26 and 5/17/26 Black Girl Magic

  The Share The Plate for Sundays April 26 and May 3 is Black Girl Magic. Black Girl Magic Educational Services is a Black women-led non-profit organization that provides opportunities for Black girls by empowering them to let their natural gifts shine, cultivating leadership skills while centering youth voice in decision making, and forming a safe and affirming community where girls can authentically and unapologetically be themselves. Black Girl Magic cultivates safe, affirming, and liberating programming for Black girls in 4th to 10th grade. Thank you to Heike Saynisch for nominating them.  

Share the Plate Past Recipients

2024

• Allied Food Pantry
• Great Turning Hospitality House
• Get Kids Outside Wisconsin

2023

• Odyssey Behind Bars
• Wheels for Winners
• Raza United
• Veterans for Peace
• Wilma’s Fund
• Ho-Chunk Housing and CDA
• Centro Hispano
• Operation Fresh Start
• GSAFE
• One City Schools
• Moms On a Mission
• Black Business Hub
• UUSC
• Urban Triage – Inspired House
• Centro Hispano (x2)
• White Helmets
• Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership and Development
• Illustrated English Dictionaries for Madison Public Schools
• UUA Disaster Relief Fund
• Neighborhood Food Solutions
• Yahara House

2022

• Community Action Coalition
• Ho-Chunk Housing and Community Development Agency
• Goodman Community Center
• Movin’ Out
• Community Immigration Law Center
• Briarpatch
• Solace Friends, Inc
• UW Nurses Union
• Literacy Network
• League of Women Voters
• The River Food Pantry
• Women’s Medical Fund
• POWERS
• Focused Interruption
• Urban Triage
• UU Service Committee’s Emergency Fund
• The Farley Center
• The Catfish River 4H
• The Progress Center for Black Women
• Social Justice Center
• Wisconsin Network for Peach and Justice and Sustainability
• WUUSAN
• Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
• The Center for Black Excellence and Culture
• The River Food Pantry

2021

• Catalyst for Change
• East High Food Pantry
• Porchlight Drop-In Shelter
• Goodman Center Thanksgiving Baskets
• MOSES
• Open Doors for Refugees
• Worker Justice Wisconsin
• JSS Madison Refugee Resettlement Project
• Madison Tenant Power
• Freedom Inc Books & Breakfast
• Honor the Earth
• Madison Adaptive Cycling
• TRUUst
• DRUUM
• Wisconsin Network for Peace Justice & Sustainability
• Safe Skies Clean Water
• DANEnet
• Second Harvest
• Domestic Abuse Intervention Services
• Women in Focus
• Giniw Collective
• Tenant Resource Center
• Occupy Madison Village
• River Food Pantry