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Faithify expands Keep it All funding fror asylum seekers CAPAS campaigns
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Faithify and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee are partnering to help congregations raise money to offer much-needed solidarity to asylum-seekers. |
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Seeking safety from persecution is a human right. The United States’ immigration policies are designed to severely limit this right, causing many who approach our borders trauma, devastation, and even death. Unitarian Universalists and other faith communities can bring change and hope to this otherwise dehumanizing system by accompanying individuals, couples, and families of asylum-seekers on their journey to safety.
Through the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s Congregational Accompaniment Project for Asylum-Seekers (CAPAS) communities of faith welcome and support asylum-seekers in their communities. CAPAS provides multiple ways for congregations and individuals to offer solidarity. Faith communities can become hosts, providing significant support (including housing, legal representation, medical care, transportation, and more) to asylum-seekers for 1-2 years; they can become funding partners that are matched with other congregations to support their solidarity work; or they can provide shorter-term support to families that were recently reunited with their children after being horrifically separated at the U.S./Mexican border. UUSC staff works closely with groups throughout the process and provides ongoing support and connection to other congregations doing similar work. We invite you to join us in this life-changing journey of solidarity with people seeking safety in the United States.
CAPAS fundraising campaigns on Faithify operate in "Keep it All" funding mode
Congregations are especially well-suited to provide accompaniment to asylum-seekers. Many UU Congregations, UU State Action Networks, and partners have raised money through Faithify over the years to fund Immigration and Refugee Justice initiatives. These projects are some of the most highly funded campaigns on Faithify.
Part of the preparation process for becoming a congregation in the CAPAS network is fundraising. Faithify's experience of hosting successful asylum-seeker ministry campaigns makes us a natural partner with UUSC to make crowdfunding easier for congregations in the CAPAS network. CAPAS campaigns on Faithify are created by congregations in the Unitarian Universalist Service Committe CAPAS network who are raising money for their asylum-seekers ministries. There is no minimum amount to raise. All funds pledged will be processed (Keep it All funding mode)
You can read the full announcement on our website. We are excited to work with congregations in the CAPAS network to help support this vital ministry! |
What UU's are funding today on Faithify: |
UU Congregation of Cookeville, TN Prison Ministry
Goal: $1,000 Raised to Date: $20
53 days left on this All-or-Nothing campaign! |
In 2019 the UU Congregation of Cookeville, TN spoke out against making panhandling a crime. The community won, and the city council backed down. However, the police in our area will pick up folks who are without a residence on the flimsiest of excuses. There is also a "crackdown on drugs" that is rapidly filling our county jail, and as a result they are building a new facility to house twice the number of members. They are also apparently taking in overflow from the state penitentiary system, and receiving funding for it, which means that our local jail is functioning as a for-profit prison for the benefit of the county.
In addition, folks in the jail receive very little. Many are sleeping on thin mattresses on a concrete floor. The food is reported to be dismal. They receive very little in the way of hygiene products. They get a thin jail uniform and swelter in the summer and freeze in the winter. The jail expects their family and friends to pay for extra food, any hygiene products beyond soap and a tiny amount of toothpaste, warm clothing and undergarments. Many are "indigent" and have no one to help them with these supplies. They are in overcrowded pods with nothing in the way of entertainment; at times they are not even allowed access to book.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Cookeville began a letter-writing campaign in 2020 to let folks in the jail know that we believe in their inherent worth and dignity. Prison pen pals have been shown to reduce recidivism. However, we are a tiny congregation of around 30, plus a few friends, and we quickly got overwhelmed. We also wanted to help people who didn't have outside help, with commissary and supplies that we think are basic needs for human dignity. We send our penpals letters, puzzles, writing prompts, and financial help when we can.
We were quickly inundated with heartbreaking stories and letters asking for help.
If you could help us put money on the books for the dozens of people asking for aid, we would appreciate it. We believe in mutual aid and harm reduction, and we are doing our best to affirm our first principle in our community. |
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Help Rebuild our RE Program in Conservative Western Colorado
Goal: $2,500 Raised to Date: $560
9 days left on this All-or-Nothing campaign! |
Our talented and wonderful Director of Religious Education (DRE) left to take a full-time job with the local food bank about a year ago. We are now hiring a new DRE and have a small funding gap we hope you will help fill. We expect the RE program to attract new families to the UU Congregation of the Grand Valley in Grand Junction, CO who will help fund the position in the future. We also expect in-person fundraisers to raise more money as pandemic restrictions are able to be lifted.
Elizabeth High, Head of the DRE Search Team, says: "I am excited to be a part of this process. I think that it is priceless to provide a community where children can learn about their own and other’s inherent worth and dignity, where they can learn to value the web of life of which we are a part and about all our other UU principles. I feel that children add so much to our congregation, and having a strong DRE in place is vital to attracting and keeping families with children in our congregation.”
The UUCGV is one of a handful of liberal religious institutions in Western Colorado, and as such we serve a vital role in supporting progressive thought and action. Children and young adults throughout the community will benefit from a strong RE program.
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UU Colorado Portapotties for the Houseless
Goal: Read update below Raised to Date: $2,075
36 days left on this All-or-Nothing campaign! |
In March 2020, a Grand Junction, Colorado community partnership obtained COVID funding to provide portable toilets for the houseless since many public facilities were closed. We have had from 8-10 portapottie sites that have become hubs for trash pickup, needle disposal, clean water and hand washing stations. One of these sites was at the Grand Valley UU church.
The church hosts the weekly food and supply distribution for the houseless in the parking lot. Our toilet also supports the Mesa County Library across the street and volunteers at the adjacent community garden. We would like to continue the portapottie/sanitation services at the UU location to support the community and those who are without homes even when the church building is closed.
The campaign was started at $1000 to cover only 6 months of portapottie cleaning fees. I am grateful and amazed at this outpouring! Because of this support our Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Grand Valley has agreed to officially assume responsibility of this portapottie. This is a bold move for our small congregation. Additional funding will support the weekly cleaning and stocking fees for the portapottie for a longer period of time and possibly to fund 2 cleanings a week. We will also have some extra funding to renovate our handwashing station. A vital part of our sanitation project. Any donated funds are dedicated to the support of this vital sanitation station. |
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