Local Service Project for General Assembly

2013 Service Project

The Sunday Morning Collection for General Assembly (GA) 2013 will be given to the Kentucky Branch of Interfaith Power and Light. Interfaith Power and Light is a national organization that has local and state chapters that provides an interfaith religious response to global warming. They offer support to over 14,000 congregations in 40 states.

The mission of Interfaith Power and Light is to be faithful stewards of creation by responding to global warming and the social injustices it creates by promoting energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. This campaign intends to protect the earth’s ecosystems, safeguard the health of all creation, and ensure sufficient, sustainable energy for all.

The state affiliate, Kentucky Interfaith Power and Light sponsors various projects and community engagement, including the Greening West Louisville program.

Past Service Projects

The 2012 Service Project was a Naturalization/Citizenship Fair, where Unitarian Universalist (UU) Volunteers assisted permanent residents who were eligible for citizenship in completing their final citizenship applications, while others performed support tasks.

The “Beat the Heat” Backpack Project provided the children of the Dysart Community Center with books, hats, water bottles, other necessities, and treats, packed into a backpack for each of them. Area children spend much time indoors during the summer heat, and the backpacks will help them through the summer.

Donations from the Sunday morning service at GA were shared between two Phoenix-area recipient organizations this year. The two organizations are: the Comités de Defensa del Barrio (CDBs) and Puente AZ.

The 2011 Service Project was In Our Own Back Yards youth summer camp. Over $32,000 was raised in donations. In Our Own Back Yards is an interfaith, service-based summer camp experience designed to open the eyes of campers to the harsh reality of poverty in the Charlotte Mecklenburg community.

Our 2010 Service Project with nearby Hope Community offered opportunities for hands-on service as well as donations. General Assembly attendees participated in a wide range of tasks including gardening, landscaping and painting. In addition, over $40,000 was raised in donations.

The 2009 service project raised $30,000 for the Utah Pride Center. The Utah Pride Center provides support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth, adults, and families through a variety of programs. With the money raised from Unitarian Universalists at General Assembly, the Utah Pride Center will expand their services for LGBT youth.

Hispanic Unity was selected as the 2008 service project; $23,000 was raised. The purpose of Hispanic Unity of Florida is to serve immigrants and their families from varying ethnicities, by empowering them to be successful in the United States.

In 2007, General Assembly raised $42,000 for Village Gardens, a sustainable urban agriculture program in Portland, OR.