Community, even from a distance, feels so precious right now. I find the time I spend with my wife is so valuable. Seeing rows of faces on a Zoom screen reminds me how much I appreciate the people who make up my life. With today’s dangers and uncertainty, we need community to care for us and the community needs our care.
I act for social justice because it heals my spirit, which is especially necessary in hard times. When I can give my time and resources, build relationships with people whose liberation leads to my liberation and act against what scares me, I feel part of something transcendent, beautiful and larger than myself.
Like all programming of UUCF, social justice needs to adapt to social distancing. Demands in the world are getting greater. People are suffering illness, loss of work, loss of what they depended on. Below, I have identified some ways that we can support our local community. I also invite everyone to spiritual nourishment and encouragement.
For now, here are some ways you can support the local community:
- FACETS is raising money for their Hot Meals program, for which demand has nearly doubled. They’re also accepting pantry donations, household donations and still looking for healthy volunteers for hypothermia shelters.
- Britepaths has launched its Adjust. Give. campaign to raise $100,000 by Apr. 15. Funds will provide emergency food gift cards, household supplies and targeted financial assistance to pay for rent or utilities for the many families hit hard by the crisis. Donate or learn more here.
- Northern Virginia Family Service is monitoring the coronavirus spread in Northern Virginia and has set up a COVID-19 response fund.
- The American Red Cross is looking for blood donations. You can sign up to give blood here.
Please let me know if there are activities, initiatives or ideas you would like to see here that you don’t see here. To help track, support and celebrate what we do as members of the congregation, I would like to hear from you about whatever you do. Please send me an email, but also please don’t let that be a barrier. I would like us to do good, and to connect.
Together, we will get through this. We can still do much to transform ourselves, our community and the world through acts of love and justice. Please reach out if you have any questions or just want to talk, or if there’s anything you feel inspired to dive into. You can email me at abatcher@uucf.org.
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