Faith in Action: Social Justice Work at Live Oak Unitarian Universalist

Though Live Oak UU Fellowship is a young organization, we are already making a difference in our community. Social Justice work is vital to our community. Below are a few examples of actions we have taken so far.

Live Oak adults and youth participated in 350: The International Day of Climate Action on Oct. 24, 2009. See more photos of us in action, part of the human "necklace" encircling the summit of Mt. Diablo. Many thanks to Peter Hand for the photos.
Live Oak UU joined other Alameda religious institutions for the Faith Communities Coming Out, Coming Together Walk & Celebration on Oct. 11, 2009, celebrating the LGBTIQQ individuals and families living in our communities. Thanks to Jim Freschi and Niels Kjellund for the photos. More photos and press coverage .
Several times, members of Live Oak joined other volunteers to help with planting, weeding, and harvesting at the Sunol farm operated by People's Grocery, a community-based organization in West Oakland that develops creative solutions to the health problems in our community that stem from a lack of access to and knowledge about healthy, fresh foods. We also regularly donate our Sunday service plate collection to People's Grocery.

In addition, members of Live Oak continue to campaign for Marriage Equality, volunteer at the Ella Baker Center, work on water justice for California and various environmental organizations, support Oakland dockworkers in their struggle over health concerns, and more.

Giving Away the Plate: Donations to Community Agencies

At each of our Sunday worship services, we donate all the monies collected in the plate to non-profit agencies supporting people in need. We regularly support the Alameda County Community Food Bank.

In addition, we have donated to several other local non-profits:

• Alameda County Community Food Bank
• Alameda Homeless Network (Midway Shelter in Alameda – for women and children affected by domestic violence, homelessness)
• A Home Away from Homelessness (respite programs for homeless children)
• A Home Within (providing ongoing mentoring relationship for foster kids)
• First Place for Youth (foster youth aging out of program)
• Homeless Prenatal Program (in San Francisco)
• Marine Foundation Toys for Tots (Photo: right)
• People's Grocery
• Playworks (Oakland-based national nonprofit supports learning by providing safe, healthy and inclusive play and physical activity to schools at recess and through the school day)
• Toys for Tots

We also have donated generously to several UU-related programs:

• Standing on the Side of Love
• UU Partner Church Council (supporting programs in Eastern Europe)
• Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (working for human rights across the world: Darfur, Haiti, Chiapas, Mexico; also disaster relief, e.g., Haiti Earthquake Relief, Pakistan Flood Relief)
• UU Ministry for the Earth (connecting an active community of UUs for environmental justice)
  

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