UUCF’s Social Justice Advisory Team organizes the congregation’s major social justice efforts into the following social action groups.
Racial Justice Steering Committee
UUCF launched its commitment to exploration, learning and transformation around racial justice in 2016. The congregation continues this commitment through a Racial Justice Steering Committee, working on long-term advocacy, training, education, partnerships, witness and action. Read more here.
Food Justice Team
Since May 2020, just after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, UUCF’s Food Justice team has organized a Food Drive on the second Sunday of each month to benefit several area food programs serving the most marginalized communities in Northern Virginia. Partners include Food Justice DMV, Bailey’s Mutual Aid, Fairfax Circle Church and Centreville United Methodist Church. Read more here.
Act for Climate Today! group and Paris Pledge Initiative
The UUCF Act for Climate Today! group (formerly the Climate Action Group), founded in 2013, plans and implements climate-related projects with a direct impact on UUCF, its members and the interconnected web of life. View this brief video to learn more about global warming/climate change, its human causation and consequences. ACT! believes advocacy and solutions are necessary now. ACT! is actively involved in Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions, an interdenominational climate action group started by ACT! members along with members of other congregations.
The Paris Pledge Initiative is a framework of ACT! projects with the goal of reducing UUCF’s carbon dioxide emissions.
Committee for Immigration Justice
UUCF is committed to taking action for immigration justice through engagement with organizations led by immigrants impacted by immoral, inhumane immigration policies on the local, state and national levels. Partners in this work include the Congregation Action Network, which UUCF joined in April 2017, Centreville Immigration Forum, Food Justice DMV and others. Read more here.
Ending Gun Violence
UUCF is committed to ending gun violence and to urging our legislators to approve sensible gun violence prevention legislation. To that end, UUCF members passed a Congregational Resolution on Preventing Gun Violence in 2013.
In additional to other local, state and national actions on gun violence prevention, UUCFers participate in gun violence prevention vigils at the National Rifle Association headquarters in Fairfax on the 14th of each month at 10 a.m. (2 p.m. if the 14th falls on a Sunday). These vigils commemorate the lives lost to gun violence at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 and thousands of others since. Read more here.
LGBTQIA+ equality
For decades, UUCF has been dedicated to ensuring LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual/ally and others) rights and is a Welcoming Congregation focused on education, consciousness raising and fellowship within the UUCF community and beyond. Read more here.
Hypothermia Shelter
UUCF participates in this annual FACETS interfaith winter project, providing shelter for about 40 homeless adults homeless in Fairfax County. Many volunteers are needed. Read more here.
Other Justice Projects
- English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL): In partnership with Southgate Community Center in Reston, UUCF volunteers teach ESOL classes for disadvantaged immigrant residents. Check the What’s happening page for upcoming events.
- Beacon House: UUCF and other area UU congregations have helped fund and provide volunteer support to Beacon House since its founding in 1991. Beacon House provides tutoring, mentoring, cultural, athletic, recreational and nutritional programs to at-risk children, ages 5-18, in and around the Edgewood Terrace community in Ward 5 of Washington, DC. Contact Beacon House President Rev. Donald Robinson.
- Hot Meals: In partnership with FACETS, UUCF volunteers prepare and assemble breakfasts for homeless people in Fairfax County six times a year. Check the What’s happening page for upcoming events.