Poverty
Housing Emergency Loan
Program: We are committed to fundraising for the Housing
Emergency Loan Program or HELP, which was begun in 1999
in part through efforts of this congregation. HELP
provides interest free loans to families who, because of
temporary financial setbacks, risk being evicted and
becoming homeless. Through a special collection at last
June's annual picnic, a contra dance in September,
donations at the Christmas Eve service and individual
contributions, members of this congregation have so far
raised about $6,500 to replenish the HELP loan fund.
Donations are always welcome, through cheques made out
to the Housing Help Centre, with Housing Emergency Loan
Program written in the memo field.
Environment
Green sanctuary: The committee encourages education and
activities to reduce our impact on the Earth's carrying
capacity, in keeping with the church's designation as a
Green Sanctuary. We have encouraged people to sign up to
receive the monthly congregational newsletter by email,
saving paper and trees, and almost 150 have. We
organized a showing of the film End of Suburbia and a
visit to an organic farm last spring. On Feb. 16, we'll
hold a discussion on climate change (see above) and have
agreed to join the Ten Trees Challenge, an initiative of
the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth which
oversees the Green Sanctuary program. We agree to plant
and care for 10 trees this year and encourage
individuals or groups to do the same. This project began
at the Community UU Church (CUUC) in San Antonio, which
set itself a goal in 2006 to get 100 local groups to
plant and adopt 10 trees each. At least 60 joined.
Land's Inlet Corridor Nature Restoration Project: The
committee is supporting a project of the Hamilton
Naturalists' Club to work with the North End
Neighbourhood Association to naturalize a piece of
city-owned land north of Simcoe Street in their
neighbourhood. Volunteers from the church, the club and
people from the area will help develop a plan for
planting native trees and grasses on the property and to
carry out the planting. Cleanup days are likely in April
and planting events are likely in May and we'll
encourage volunteers from the church to participate.
Fair trade.
On the third Sunday of each month, after the church
service, members of our fair trade task force sell fair
trade coffee, cocoa, hot chocolate and other products
that ensure a fair price and other benefits to the
people who grow these crops. Read our
brochure
on why fair trade is needed. Contact person is Pat
Dickinson.
Welcoming Congregation
In 1998, we unanimously voted to become a congregation
that welcomes and supports gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender persons.
Letter to The Hamilton Spectator
by Rev. Allison Barrett, re Same Sex Marriage
Green Sanctuary
In 2003, a two-year effort resulted in our officially
being recognized as a green sanctuary.
An Incomplete
History of Social Action at the First Unitarian Church
of Hamilton (to the end of 2004) by Bill Johnston
(Adobe Acrobat pdf format)