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 1/31/21 & 2/7/21 – Tenant Resource Center

  The Tenant Resource Center helps keep our community members safely housed and works with residents to avoid being evicted. This is especially important now as the CDC Eviction Moratorium ends January 31. Your donation will go to their Housing Crisis Fund. 

• Share The Plate 1/10/21-1/17/21 Occupy Madison Village

  Occupy Madison Village – Our Johnson Street neighbors have taken a financial leap of faith to purchase Wiggie’s Bar on Aberg Ave and are rapidly converting it to a tiny house village to house 28 people who otherwise would be homeless this winter. Learn more about Occupy Madison here.

• Share The Plate 12/27/20-1/3/21 River Food Pantry

  River Food Pantry is supporting families through the COVID crisis by providing “Families at Home” prepared meals and groceries. Your donations will purchase groceries. Learn more about The River Food Pantry here.

• Share the Plate 12/13/20 & 12/20/20 – Families for Justice

  Families for Justice – Freedom Inc. is aiming to provide 3,000 families with $100 gift cards this holiday season. Can you join Families for Justice in doing our part to contribute toward that effort? Our goal is to cover the cost of 25 families and raise $2,500. 

• Share The Plate – 11/29/20 & 12/6/20 – Just Dane

  Just Dane’s Mentoring Connections Program

  Formerly Madison Urban Ministry, Just Dane is collecting toys and gift cards for the children of people who are incarcerated. Your donations will be used to purchase gifts and gift cards for the children and youth. 

  Learn more here

• Share The Plate – 11/15/20 & 11/22/20 – MOSES

  MOSES is a non-partisan interfaith organization that works to promote social justice with a focus on ending mass incarceration.  JRUUC is a member of MOSES. Each year they have a fund-raising gala with programs with paid ads to help raise operating funds. This Share the Plate will allow JRUUC to place an ad in the program for this year’s virtual gala, and more importantly, allow MOSES to continue its important work. Learn more here.

• Share The Plate – 11/1/20 & 11/8/20 – Goodman Community Center’s Thanksgiving Basket Program

  It’s time for our annual contribution to Goodman Community Center’s Thanksgiving Basket program. This year they expect a record 4000 households to request a bag of ingredients to make their Thanksgiving meal a reality. We can’t collect food donations in person this year, so please give in the Share the Plate.  Learn more here

• Share The Plate – 10/18/2020 & 10/25/2020 – The UUA Disaster Relief Fund

  This is a rolling fund for congregations and UU affiliated groups to assist local communities through recovery from natural disasters. The fund is currently at a historic low due to needs brought on by COVID 19. The Fund is part of a covenant between the UUA and between congregations and with our community partners. Through this work, we are able to embody our faith and values. Learn more here

• Share The Plate – 10/4/2020 & 10/11/2020

  Our Share The Plate recipient this week is The GoFundMe for Jacob Blake, the man shot by police in Kenosha on August 23.

  Julia Jackson established this fund “to cover my son’s medical expenses, mental and grief counseling for our family and to assist our family in the days to come, as we continue to seek justice for Jacob. A portion of these proceeds will also be used to benefit my son’s six children, some of whom witnessed this horrific act of violence.”

  See Justice for Jacob Blake for more information.

• Share The Plate – 9/20/2020 & 9/27/2020

  Our Share The Plate recipient this week is UU the Vote Campaign. With deadlines and polling locations shifting by the day, alongside massive voter suppression tactics from missing ballots and divestment from the postal service, we need all hands on deck to ensure every eligible voter has what they need to vote safely this November. We know after November 3rd, we’ll need new and strengthened relationships to confront whatever is ahead, together.  UU the Vote is a UUA campaign to support building those relationships and getting out the vote by helping congregations to organize and take action.

  See UU the Vote Campaign for more information.