Social Justice News: Spring Street Initiative, DREAM,NAACP

Justice is what love looks like in public.

SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM (SJT)

Our next SJT monthly meeting will be held online (Zoom) on Tuesday, February 11 at 6:30 pm.
The SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM is a self-selecting group open to all UUFH Members and Friends. We welcome all active participants. Whether your social justice interests are one or many, you can contribute to our SJT efforts. Your inputs are welcome. Contact any team member AND join the team to help carry out your suggestions. Contact Charlotte Corrigan for the Agenda, minutes and meeting LINK and current schedule

GS2030 Green Sanctuary Renewal is included in our SJT meetings per the Fellowship’s approval of our UUFH Congregational Project for 2024-2025.

Join Social Justice Team (SJT)

We meet the second Tuesday of each month.

All are welcome to attend. These meetings are your chance to provide input and contribute to our UUFH Justice efforts. To participate, please e-mail Charlotte Corrigan for the agenda, minutes, and Zoom link.

If you’re not following the UUFH jUUstice WORKERS NEWS, you’re missing out on events and actions that support our UU values.
Contact Charlotte Corrigan to join the email list or click the link to the current edition: jUUstice Worker’s NEWS

WANT MORE NEWS?

If you’re not following the UUFH jUUstice WORKERS NEWS, you’re missing out on events and actions that support our UU values. Contact Charlotte Corrigan to join the email list or click on this link JW NEWS –

This week’s highlights: details are in the text!

OUTREACH COLLECTION: February – DREAM SCHOLARSHIPS, January – SSI UPDATE
· UU JUSTICE NC – News and Friday Action Hour, and more
· February is BLACK HISTORY MONTH: join NAACP
· 2025 Voting & Democracy Rights Alert — Stop a Real Attempt to Steal an Election
· LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS: Lunch & Learn – February 25: Immigration & Education
· Pisgah Legal Services – Disaster Recovery Aid: Henderson County free Clinic, February 1

JANUARY OUTREACH COLLECTION: SPRING STREET INITIATIVE

Since Helene, the Spring Street Initiative has been working tirelessly to repair and rebuild homes, prioritizing those that are structurally unsafe or uninhabitable. At this stage, the Spring Street Initiative is actively seeking donations of materials and financial support to cover the cost of the supplies needed to complete the rebuilds of the 3 hiomes targeted in the Green Meadows area. Every dollar raised will go directly toward purchasing the necessary materials. Donations of building supplies, such as insulation, drywall, flooring, and cabinetry, are welcomed. The generosity of neighbors coming together to help one another will restore hope and rebuild homes. The Spring Street Initiative expresses gratitude to all those who have supported this important mission.

The UUFH ENDOWMENT COMMITTEE has voted to match this collection $ for $ up to $3000. Let’s max out the match and then some!

The local NAACP Chapter has also donated $3000.

To donate please visit https://uufhnc.org/ and click the donate button. Attendees may also designate donations made during the offering at Sunday services through January 31.

To volunteer your skills, please sign up in the Fellowship Hall during coffee time – see Tom Gonzalez. Painters will be needed soon.

UPDATE:

Fellowship donations now exceed $3000 so we will achieve the maximum Endowment match! Donations are still being received and posted.

FEBRUARY OUTREACH COLLECTION: DREAM SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The Dream scholarship which was founded by UUFH is a collaborative project of three churches in Hendersonville: UUFH, Saint James Episcopal and First Congregational Church. It is an effort to inject a little social justice into the educational system in Henderson County. It begins with undocumented graduating Henderson County high school students who have a dream of pursuing a post-secondary education at an institution of their choice.

These students are from families that work locally and pay state and federal taxes and contribute to social security and FICA but are required to pay out-of-state tuition by NC state law. Currently at Blue Ridge Community College an in -state student pays $1,140 for fifteen credit hours, a typical load, while an out-of-state student pays $4,020 for those same fifteen credit hours.

The Dream Scholarship offers up to $2400 per year for educational expenses. Students can continue to requalify until they complete their curriculum. Last year this scholarship program supported 5 students with funds of $6,740.

Your DONATIONS help to keep injecting a little social justice in 2025. Note “Dream Scholarship” on the memo line of your check or envelope. Or simply select “donate” on our website. Contributions will be accepted throughout February.

UU JUSTICE NC

Subscribe to receive the monthly newsletter & action alerts in your inbox at UUJusticeNC.org DONATE to UU Justice NC via this link: You Can Donate Here!

FRIDAY ACTION HOUR Every Friday at 11:00

Join UU Justice NC for our Weekly Friday Action Hour.

Every week, UU’s and justice partners across the state gather to recap the past week and take action on the issues impacting our state and country. And there is always great music to help us feel the justice movement in our bones!

Join via this Zoom. Link: NEW ZOOM LINK If you can’t make it on Fridays, just check out our Action Hour Link: Google Doc This link permits viewing, at your convenience, all the links & materials – including the Actions List – for the current and any previous sessions for 2024.

BONUS: Sign up for the Weekly Friday Action Hour community listserv Email Each email includes a promo of the week’s actions, the Zoom link, and the link to our Actions List (Google Doc) direct each week to your inbox. Click here to sign up!

UU Justice NC’s Friday Action Hour, January 17, 11:00am

Jefferson Griffin’s Campaign to Silence 60,000 NC Voters

Last week, the NC Supreme Court blocked the state from certifying Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs’ 734-vote victory over Republican Jefferson Griffin in the race for a seat on the court. The Republican-majority court halted the State Board of Elections from finalizing the contest and agreed to hear Griffin’s challenges to over 60,000 ballots. This week, we will partner with Common Cause NC and the ACLU of North Carolina to write Letters to the Editors and send personal letters directly to Jefferson Griffin’s home calling on him to respect the will of the people, and concede this race.

Review this week’s resources and actions on our Google Doc, and Join via this Zoom Link.

ARE: Allies for Racial Equity – February is BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Join NAACP (https://naacp.org/)
The effectiveness of the NAACP lies in the multiracial, multigenerational mass of ordinary men and women who unite to awaken the consciousness of a people and a nation. Especially now, with the challenges to DEI, it’s time to encourage all our members and friends to join. Currently 20 members of our Fellowship are members including our minister and his wife. Our goal is to double that number during February as part of our Black History Month actions.

Application forms ( NAACP Membership FORM ) will be available in Fellowship Hall. You can give your completed forms to Judy Bonner along with annual dues of $30 or mail to Melinda Lowrance, 318 N Main St Unit 11, Hendersonville, NC 28792.

Let’s show that Unitarian Universalists in Hendersonville are ready to support our local Black community. Let’s do it!

Local NAACP History: In 2012, it had been decades since Hendersonville had an NAACP chapter. The time was right to re-form a local chapter, especially since Rev. William Barber was leading Moral Monday demonstrations attended by many members of this Fellowship. By April, the time was right for an organizational meeting. It would take at least 50 people to reconstitute the chapter, and it didn’t take long for more than 50 local residents to join the national NAACP. People of all races and ethnicities, belonging to multiple faith communities as well as secular, representing rich and poor, LGBTQ and straight, employed and unemployed, are now part of Hendersonville’s NAACP chapter, working for justice together under the outstanding leadership of President Melinda Lowrance.

National NAACP History: First founded on February 12, 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s foremost, largest, and most widely recognized civil rights organization. Its more than half-million members and supporters throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, leading grassroots campaigns for equal opportunity and conducting voter mobilization.

Mission: to insure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.
Vision: to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race.

Initiatives for the 21st century: economic sustainability, education, health, public safety and criminal justice, voting rights and political representation, and expanding youth and young adult engagement.

The real story of the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization lies in the hearts and minds of all those who refused to stand idly while race prejudice tarnished our nation. From bold investigations of mob brutality, protests of mass murders, segregation and discrimination, to testimony before congressional committees on the vicious tactics used to bar African Americans from the ballot box, it was the talent and tenacity of NAACP members that saved lives and made change.

With a powerful membership base, the NAACP will continue to persevere. Together we can remain vigilant until the promise of America is made real for all Americans.

PISGAH LEGAL SERVICES – Disaster Recovery Aid

Pisgah Legal Services is here to help the people of our mountain region recover and rebuild from Hurricane Helene.

We have been active in disaster recovery since immediately after the storm, assisting our neighbors throughout Western North Carolina with disaster-related issues including FEMA applications and legal issues such as housing problems, FEMA appeals, homeowners insurance denials, and consumer protection against frauds and scams.

As always, you can apply online for our services, or call us at (828) 253-0406 or toll free 1-800-489-6144.

NEED HELP?

Applying for FEMA Aid

Upcoming in-person Disaster Legal Services – Free Legal Clinics:
• Mitchell County | Jan. 29, 2025, 10 AM – 4 PM (community flier here)
Schedule an appointment online.
• Black Mountain | Jan. 31, 2025, 9 AM – 5 PM (community flier here)
Schedule an appointment online
• Henderson County | Feb. 1, 2025, 9 AM – 2 PM (community flier here)
Schedule an appointment online
• Black Mountain | Feb. 21, 2025, 9 AM – 5 PM (community flier here)
Schedule an appointment online
• Marion | Feb. 22, 2025, 12 PM – 5 PM (community flier here)
Schedule an appointment online