Who would you like to see as a recipient of 2024 Share the Plate Contributions?

The nominating and voting process for 2024 Share the Plate will begin Sun., October 1, 2023. 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 $133,00 in Share the Plate contributions to community charities over the past twelve years.

There are eleven categories of recipients determined by the Share the Plate Committee. Now is the time to be thinking about which organizations you would like to nominate for each one of these categories. The qualifying nominees must be 501(c)(3) non- profit organizations that are not affiliated with UUA. To confirm the status, check the organization’s website. Share the Plate nominations will be available online on Sun., October 1, 2023, on this page. We encourage you to use this option. Copies will also be available in the Order of Service and on the table in the foyer starting that same day.

An information sheet of previously nominated Share the Plate candidates is available below or on the table in the foyer as a reference. This is for informational purposes only. You may select from these or offer any new candidates of your choice.

The eleven categories are as follows:
Animal Shelters/Animal Services
Children’s Services
Food Banks/Food Support
Homeless Shelter
Environmental Issues
Legal Aid
LGBTQ Issues
Mental Health Issues
Physical Health Issues
Social Justice Issues

Vote Here

We are accepting votes from Oct 1-15th, 2023.

Voting for nominees begins Oct 1, 2023!

Information on Past Share the Plate Nominees

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. They 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. 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, which make up 98% of the animals killed in the U.S. each year. cottonbranch.org

The Family Shelter, now under the umbrella of Homeless No More, is a nonprofit organization that believes family homelessness is entirely solvable. Their continuum of care – from emergency services to transitional and affordable housing – keeps each family together and meets their needs at the right time with the right services. By providing the support to move each family toward a permanent, self-sufficient solution, they can eradicate family homelessness and help parents and their children achieve lasting independence. homelessnomore.org

The 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 staff and volunteers operate six examination rooms, a pharmacy, a small laboratory, a classroom for patient education and meetings, a waiting room, and offices. Community partnerships are key to the Clinic’s success in providing comprehensive medical services and the continuous evolution of their programs. These partnerships also allow them to connect their patients with services currently beyond the Clinic’s scope. freemedclinic.org

Good Samaritan Clinic is a faith-based organization offering free health and dental care primarily to the Hispanic community in four South Carolina locations. With the dedication of volunteer physicians, nurses, interpreters, and administrative assistants, as well as the generous support of our funding partners, the clinic is able to serve our communities in the tradition of the Good Samaritan. goodsamaritansc.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. lgbtcentersc.org

Harvest Hope Food Bank has a mission to provide for the needs of hungry people by gathering and sharing quality food with dignity, compassion, and education. Harvest Hope has continued to increase the scope of its operations and now provides food, comfort, and hope to hungry individuals and families in the Midlands, Pee Dee, and Greater Greenville regions of South Carolina. harvesthope.org

Justice 360 promotes fairness, reliability and transparency in the criminal justice system for individuals facing the death penalty and juveniles facing lengthy sentences in South Carolina. They accomplish this by using resources and support for lawyers tasked with representing capital and juvenile defendants and representing individual clients. They advocate for policy change to address systemic flaws in the criminal justice system and educate the public to raise awareness about the administration of capital and juvenile sentencing in South Carolina. https://justice360sc.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

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is the nation’s largest grass roots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. nami.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

Pawmetto Lifeline (formerly Project Pet) was founded in 1999 with the mission of creating a No-Kill community in the Midlands of South Carolina. Too many companion pets were euthanized due to overcrowding and homelessness, and it is their mission to work toward giving these pets a future. They continue to strive toward the goal of a no-kill community and state through adoption, pet retention, rescue partnerships, and
medical services. pawmettolifeline.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 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

SC Social Equality brings the voices of LGBTQ+ people and allies to institutions of power in South Carolina, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people. http://www.equalmeanseveryone.org/

SCWREN (Women’s Rights Empowerment Network) is a South Carolina-based network whose mission is to build a movement to advance the health, economic well-being, and rights of South Carolina’s women, girls, and their families. We advocate, educate, engage community, and build coalitions. WREN strives to create a diverse and inclusive movement that amplifies voices and advances justice for all. scwren.org

SisterCare has a mission to provide services and advocacy for domestic violence survivors and their children, and to promote prevention of domestic violence through community awareness and training. It is the only organization that specifically offers shelter and support services for survivors and their children in Richland, Lexington, Kershaw, Newberry, and Fairfield counties. sistercare.org

Sustainable Midlands’ mission is to encourage responsible growth, ensure access to local food, and establish a healthy environment for all Midlands communities. They encourage land use and transportation solutions, reinvest in our neighborhoods, and encourage lifestyle choices that protect our air and water and preserve our farms, forests, and open spaces. sustainablemidlands.org

Transitions engages clients with various services and provides them a place to stay as they transition from the streets to permanent housing. They also partner with many community agencies that use their expertise to help clients reach their goals. As a result, clients receive services that enable them to stabilize their lives, increase their income, and secure permanent housing. transitionssc.org