Social Justice

Helping those who are helping others! Each month the Social Justice Committee features one organization working on social justice issues. Information on the organization is displayed on our bulletin board, in the newsletter, and in the literature rack. All cash and specified checks from one Sunday's collection basket are given to the organization.

Bring a can a week! Our local food pantry, run by the Community Closet, assists community members in need. Canned goods are collected each Sunday.

Share-A-Book Project

The Share-A-Book Project has sent hundreds of small Spanish language books to the children in poor neighborhoods in Managua, Nicaragua. Money is also sent so teachers may purchase additional books in local stores.

Restorative Justice

For the past two years the Social Justice Committee has promoted the development of a Restorative Justice program for juveniles in the greater Plymouth region. A restorative justice program seeks to heal the injury of crime and to rebuild the broken relationships in the community. It brings together offenders, victims and community members to discuss the crime and the injury caused, and to help the offender find ways to make suitable reparation for the crime. The Committee will continue to work with other groups in this region to make this alternative model of justice a reality.

Democracy in Action

The Fellowship's Social Justice Committee works with the Unitarian Universalist Action Network of NH to advocate for public policies. The UU Action Network is a statewide Unitarian Universalist ministry that serves to empower the moral voice of Unitarian Universalist values in the public arena. After surveying participating congregations, it was decided to look at the Federal Budget as a moral document. Our goal will be to redirect obsolete Pentagon funding to domestic priorities.
Three statewide issues will also be followed:

1. Developing a NH Fair Tax Coalition with the NH Council of Churches;
2. Building toward health care for all with NH Fair Share Health Care;
3. Working to understand and develop a NH Renewable Energy Industry and Standards.

We will provide general information on many issues of concern to UUs, from climate change to marriage equality issues. The Social Justice Committee hopes to provide opportunities to study, discuss and act on these issues as legislation is proposed in the next legislative session beginning in January 2008.