We are a multi-dimensional congregation that celebrates and protects every person’s right to express his or her own cultural and spiritual identity as we build the world we dream about with outreach and justice.
UUCS Community Outreach
These non-profits and UUCS efforts will be supported by plate donations in Feb. 2023-Jan. 2024.
- Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter (LAWS)—LAWS seeks to empower survivors of personal violence so that they may live lives free from fear, anxiety, and danger. Prevention and education programs are presented throughout the county to reduce the incidence of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. UUCS Contact: Bonnie Lepoff
- UUCS Voting Rights Fund/ Allyship Activities— Post-carding and other efforts to encourage voting in underserved areas and populations via UU the Vote/Common Ground and others. (Allyship could include Coming to the Table, NAACP when and if post-carding is fully funded. TBD) UUCS Contact: John Gallant, Denise Dittmar
- Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy— This non-profit is a local all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the preservation and proliferation of healthy wildlife habitats throughout Loudoun County, Virginia. They work to build an understanding of the value of nature by offering free environmental education events, producing publications, tracking habitat health and species populations through environmental monitoring programs, and engaging in habitat restoration projects. (Additional Climate Change activities may also become part of our efforts.) UUCS Contact: John Botts, Susan Forth, or Bill Roman.
- Mobile Hope—Mobile Hope provides support and emergency shelter to youth up to age 24 who are at-risk, precariously housed or homeless and empowers them to become self-sufficient. Collecting and dispersement of goods directly to youth by means of a mobile van, sale in thrift store. Our church also keeps a bin in the church to collect clothing or other donations that is taken to Mobile Hope for use or resale in their thrift store. UUCS Contact: Yvonne Centala
These non-profits are supported by UUCS member participation. They also represent an opportunity to serve in our community.
- Equality Loudoun— is a Faith Partner. UUCS will have a table at PrideFest in Sterling, Virginia in June 2023. Funds from the UUCS Poetry Slam 2023 “Love is Love” will be donated to this LGBTQ rights and service organization. Contact: Membership Chair, Terry Dick.
- Our Kids Read —This non-profit is associated with a Princeton University alumni organization, providing literacy programs in cooperation with elementary schools, such as Guilford Elementary, near our church in Sterling. They are looking for volunteers, including adults, and high school juniors or seniors, to read books to kids in K-5, over Zoom. You would be reading for about 30 min, once a week for 8 weeks. Contact: John Gallant.
- Women Giving Back— A non-profit in Sterling that helps women and children in crisis by distributing clothing at no cost. Volunteers can help at the Herndon facility especially with sorting and stocking clothing for women. Contact: Sharon Coviak.
- Coming to the Table— Coming to the Table is a fast-growing community of Local Affiliate Groups, Working Groups, and Individuals committed to taking America beyond the legacy of enslavement. Contact: K. Malaika Walton, Co-chair for the Northern Virginia chapter. They meet the second Monday of the month, virtually or in-person. Contact Malaika to get on the mailing list.
- Leadership Mission International (LMI)— a national non-profit that supports educating & empowering young women in rural Honduras to become leaders, business owners, get higher education, and/or get involved with community development. Contact: Christine Dellecave.
Write to social-justice@uusterling.org or one of the contacts directly to volunteer or for more information.