Social Action Programs at Allen Avenue UU in Portland, Maine

The Social Action Committee seeks to inform ourselves, the church community, and the public about areas of social concerns and to find ways to improve our world while working toward peace and justice. People from the congregation step forward to lead various areas of interest, forming sub-committees or acting as individual leaders. We are proud of our rich history of pursuing social justice in our community and around the world.

Each second Wednesday, September through June, we follow a potluck (6 - 6:30) by a meeting (6:45 - 8:30) to discuss and work on our many interests. Newcomers are always welcome! Please feel free to explore and learn about the area(s) that interest you most. For more information, please contact the Chair of the Social Action committee or the contact person of the specific areas. To learn more about each area, just click the title of the area to link to the specific web page associated with it.

African American Interests  increases our own knowledge of the African-American community in Portland, while supporting and assisting with selected projects, such as the Portland Freedom Trail. 

Allies of the Wabanaki seeks to promote and support education about the Wabanaki people while acting as allies.

Amnesty International collaborates in educating the public abou Leo Barrington with Shenna Bellows and Rachel Myers of the Maine Civil Liberties Union torture and other human rights abuses at home and abroad through forums, protests, lobbying, exhibits and letter-writing campaigns advocating for prisoners of conscience.

Ethical Eating is looking at Food and Environmental Justice. Some people enjoy many food choices while others remain hungry. The food industry produces wealth, but small farmers and farm workers are often poor. Food production and transportation contribute to many environmental problems. How do our daily decisions about food affect the world?

Green Earth wants you! Always looking for new members with creative ideas and energy, our focus is the environment and global warming. We support efforts at church and in the wider community. If you want to join a small, active group of like-minded folks to help develop an initiative, or you want to get in on projects already up and running, introduce yourself and let's see what we can do together.

Habitat prize winnersHabitat for Humanity works cooperatively with the Portland Interfaith Habitat group to build simple, decent, affordable housing in partnership with people in need.

Healthcare Issues works for single payer, universal healthcare coverage through bringing letters and petitions to legislators’ offices.

Iraqi Refugee Support is looking to support newly arrived refugees from Iraq as they learn to adapt to their new environment including language, customs, housing and employment, as we cooperate with Catholic Charities, the City of Portland and others in the Greater Portland area.

Peace Issues aims to educate ourselves and our church community about issues of war and peace, while developing a vision of a culture of peace.

Project Feed workers Project FEED provides support for a food pantry housed at Woodfords Congregational Church, transporting weekly contributions from our church members of non-perishable food and volunteering for restocking shelves and serving clients.

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee provides us with a way to have a national and global reach through our national denomination.

Wayside Evening Soup Kitchen  prepares and serves an evening meal every fourth Tuesday together with First Parish UU Church of Portland.

Welcoming Congregation promotes acceptance, inclusion, understanding and equity of persons of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity.

 

Social Action Items

This week's Share the Plate recipent is:

Amnesty International ; please see the Amnesty page for more information


What's Coming Up?

Current Activities in Social Action

Click for social action photos

 

 

 

 

Note:  Our newest Social Action pictures feature scenes from the program by Amnesty International Group #705. The program included showings of a new film, "Burma VJ:  Reporting from a Closed Country".  Three of the monks who were involved in the September 2007 "Saffron Revolution" of demonstrations against the military junta, will attend both screenings and engage in question-and-answer sessions with the audience.  This was announced by Nickie Sekera, a member of Amnesty Group #705 and a veteran of life as a human rights activist on the Thai-Burma border.   


 

 

 

 

We are proud of our Bennett Award received from the UUA General Assembly in 2003. The annual award honors one congregation that has done exemplary work in social justice. Click here for more information!

FMI about denominational activities go to http://www.uua.org/socialjustice.  


On social justice issues we work cooperatively with organizations in the state, such as the Maine Council of Churches. Please go to http://www.mainecouncilofchurches.org/ for more information.