Who would you like to see as a recipient of 2019 Share the Plate Contributions?

The Share the Plate Committee is getting ready to begin the Share the Plate process for the coming year. UUCC donates half of our cash collections each month to an outside charity or social justice organization chosen by our members. Thanks to our congregation’s generosity, we have donated approximately $83,000 in Share the Plate contributions to community charities over the past seven years. There are eleven categories of recipients determined by the Share the Plate Committee. Now is the time to be thinking about what organizations you would like to nominate for any one of these categories. The date of the nominating process will begin on September 30. The qualifying nominees must be a 501(c)(3) non- profit organization that is not affiliated with UUA. To confirm the status, check the organization’s website to determine if it is a 501(c)(3).

Share the Plate Nominations forms will be available in your Order of Service and on the Website on September 30. They will be on the table in the foyer after that date. The eleven categories are:

What is Share the Plate?

Share the Plate is a community outreach project that reflects the UUCC social justice philosophy. By donating one half of our Sunday non-pledge collection to a nonprofit group selected by the congregation, the UUCC gives back to the community in a meaningful and ongoing way.

The organization that is the recipient for the current month is asked to provide a representative to share with the congregation about the work that they are doing to help us better understand their mission and to spend time meeting our members.

Share the Plate Results for 2018

Voting for the 2018 Share the Plate resulted with the following recipients of the eleven categories. The Social Action Committee thanks everyone who voted in 2018.

2018 Recipients

Congaree Riverkeeper is affiliated with the Waterkeeper Alliance, a global movement of on-the-water advocates who patrol and protect rivers and coasts all over the world.  We work to protect and improve water quality, wildlife habitat, and recreation on the Congaree, Lower Saluda and Lower Broad Rivers through advocacy, education and enforcement of environmental laws. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. congareeriverkeeper.org

Cotton Branch Farm Animal Sanctuary provides a safe haven for abandoned, abused, neglected, and elderly farm animals. While there are many shelters and rescue organizations for animal companions such as cats and dogs, and wildlife, there is a lack of sanctuary for farm animals, who make up 98% of the animals killed in the US each year. It is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. cottonbranch.org

Family Shelter- A shelter that provides emergency food, shelter, resources, and hope to homeless families with children in the Midlands area. Started in 1979, this agency works towards the goal of providing a secure, structured environment where families can regain a sense of stability, responding to identified client needs with a variety of supportive services. It is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. familysheltersc.org

Free Medical Clinic provides quality healthcare, at no cost, to residents of the community who cannot pay for such services and who have no health insurance. This clinic is their only option to have access to health care. The clinic is able to offer its services free of charge due to the efforts of dedicated volunteers and faithful financial support from the three area hospital systems, corporations (notably BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina), organizations (notably USC School of Medicine), the United Way of the Midlands, churches and individual donors in the Columbia a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. freemedclinic.org  

Harriet Hancock LGBT Center located in the heart of Columbia is the hub of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender activity in the Midlands of South Carolina.  Our facility offers a variety of resources including a free lending library, meeting spaces for LGBT-supportive groups, and a directory of LGBT-friendly businesses, organizations, and counselors while also serving as the headquarters for the South Carolina Pride Movement. It is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. lgbtcentersc.org

Meals on Wheels is a program that delivers hot nutritious meals to elderly, frail, and home-bound individuals. Meals are delivered with a smile by a caring volunteer five days a week. Individuals receiving Meals on Wheels are primarily the elderly in our community who cannot maintain an adequate, healthy diet, either because of transportation or financial constraints.  South Carolina ranked #8 in the nation for seniors with food insecurity. It is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. mealsonwheelsamerica.org

MIRCI (Mental Illness Recovery Center, Inc.) assists individuals with mental illness to recover in the areas of their lives impacted by their illness through housing, behavioral healthcare, and assistance with obtaining and managing their disability income. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. mirci.org

Palmetto Place Children’s Shelter provides a safe and nurturing environment for abused and neglected children and unaccompanied teens, offering them a broad range of services concentrating on personal healing and development. The shelter is open 24 hours each day of the year and provides medical and mental health care, crisis adjustment/transitional counseling, after-school tutoring, and recreational and social activities in addition to food, clothing, and shelter. It is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. palmettoplaceshelter.org

Planned Parenthood has promoted for nearly 100 years, a commonsense approach to women’s health and well-being, based on respect for each individual’s right to make informed, independent decisions about health, sex, and family planning.  Contributions to Planned Parenthood Federation of America are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable under the law. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. plannedparenthood.org

SC Progressive Network is a coalition of grassroots activists who have joined forces to promote social and economic justice in SC. Created in 1995 as a tool to engage South Carolinians in their communities and in their government, the Network connects people to each other and to resources designed to leverage the work of progressive organizations. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. scpronet.com

SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center fights for low income South Carolinians to overcome social, economic, and legal injustice. Their goal is to influence policymakers to ensure the law is fair, to educate the public and their advocates about the law, and to assist attorneys in bringing systemic litigation where the law is unfair. They are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. scjustice.org