Who: The Social Action Committee welcomes all members and friends interested in making a difference in their community and the world. Members can be actively involved in all committee activities or in just one or two that most interest them.

What We Do: The main activities of the Social Action Committee are fundraising, education, and action for issues of social justice.

We sponsor the following programs:

• Souper Bowl. In January 2000, we joined the national Souper Bowl fundraiser for soup kitchens and community pantries. Every year on Super Bowl Sunday, we sell bread and homemade soup to raise money for the Food Bank of Delaware.

• Donations to the Food Bank of Delaware. We collect non-perishable food and personal and household items year-round for donation to the Food Bank of Delaware. There is a donation receptacle in the foyer.

• Fair Trade. We sell coffee, tea, cocoa, and chocolate most Sundays after services. We also sponsor occasional Fair Trade holiday shopping days at the church. All of the proceeds go to farm co-ops that produce the coffee, tea, and chocolate in environmentally and socially sustainable ways.

• Heifer International. Each December we provide the opportunity for members to honor friends or family with symbolic donations of animals or shares of animals. Heifer International then uses these donations to provide families throughout the world with food- and income-producing animals and training in their care. These "gifts" are then passed on when the animal's offspring are given to others in need.

• House Pins. We sell beautiful hand-crafted house pins to benefit a YWCA program for homeless families.

• Tutoring and Mentoring. We help people connect with opportunities for tutoring and mentoring in the community.

• Support for UU Service Committee. We raise funds for the UU Service Committee, a national group that works for empowerment and concrete improvements in the lives of women, children and indigenous peoples throughout the world. We participate in the "Guest at Your Table" fundraiser and sell holiday cards in the fall.

• We plan a Social Action Sunday Service once a year that focuses on an issue of social justice. Some of our past topics have been capital punishment, the environment, globalization, and Fair Trade.

• Education, Awareness and Activism. The Social Action Committee seeks to educate UUSMC members about a variety of social justice issues through bulletin board displays and a monthly column in the Grist, the UUSMC newsletter. From time to time we also write letters and circulate petitions urging business or government action on issues of urgent concern.

• Share Our Plate. We coordinate the donation of half the collection plate cash each Sunday to local charities.

• Share Our Warmth. In December, we collect hats, scarves, mittens, gloves, baby blankets, etc. for donation.

• Share Our Bounty. In November, we collect Thanksgiving food for local charities to give to the hungry.

Meeting Times: The Social Action Committee meets monthly on a Sunday after services, usually the third Sunday of the month. Please join us if you are interested.