Social Action Committee

"It is from the numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal or acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

-- Robert F. Kennedy

Countryside's Monthly Meal for PADS

What is it:

Every Wednesday, October through April, the Presbyterian Church of Palatine (PCOP) hosts a PADS shelter for the community's homeless. PCOP, in conjunction with PADS, provides a hot cooked meal in the evening and a warm, safe place to sleep. In the morning, breakfast, coffee and tea are provided as well as a sack lunch for each client to take with them for the day.

For more information on how to donate to the Countryside Church PADS meal please read the information document. Here is the meal schedule for Countryside Church and recipes for March 2011.

Social Action Kiva Initiative

Countryside Church has made 81 loans to date. The most recent loans are to the following groups:

Alice Noubissi, a restaurant owner in Cameroon.
Safia Yusufu, a general store owner in Tanzania.
Felicita, an organic farmer in Peru.
Marcelina Baylen, a pig farmer in the Philippines.
Urpayan Barpybaeva, a livestock farmer in Kyrgyzstan.
Bathishig Darhijav, a grocery store owner in Mongolia.
Safeyya Sweidan, a grocery store owner in West Bank, Palestine.

So far, $6,025 has been lent out. When the money is repaid it will be lent out to new people. This way, we can keep making a difference in the lives of others who are less fortunate!

To make individual loans associated with Countryside Church, go to the Teams tab and request to join the Countryside Unitarian Universalist Team. After your request to join is granted, then you choose the Countryside Team as the one that gets credit for any loan that you make.

Social Action Fair Trade Sale

The 1st Sunday of the month is the Fair Trade sale. Fair trade coffee, tea, olive oil, and couscous are available year-round. Chocolate will arrive in the cooler months. All proceeds go to fair trade goods supporting local non-profits. The first purchase was for soccer balls to a program helping at risk kids. The second will be our local PADS shelter (Partnering with Palatine Presbyterian).

Making the Most of our Money

Making the Most of our Money was recently featured on the UUA Congregational Stewardship Blog.

Making the Most of our Money teaches both adults and children about managing money. Each family has a mentor to ensure the class material is tailored to each indivduals situation. The adult training focuses on

Making spending choices
Envelope budgeting
Planning your spending
Understanding credit
Handling credit problems
Buillding consumer skills
Taking consumer action
Hanlding checks and checking accounts.

The children's class works on literacy and money management skills with books like Berenstain Bears Trouble with Money.

Each session is nine weeks long and meets every Wednesday from 7pm-9pm in Atherton Hall. Dinner is included. The next session will be in the Fall of 2011.

If you are interested in attending the class please fill out and return the Client Application.

We are always looking for volunteer teachers, mentors and meal providers.

If you would like to be a Teaching Assistant/Mentor please fill out and return the Assistant Application.

Social Action Meeting Agenda

Social Action Meeting Minutes

Please email socialaction@ccuu.org with questions.