Make a Difference While Homebound

Tired of watching TV? Feel powerless reading the daily news? Want to make a difference? The WUUC Advocates for Social Justice (ASJ) have organized three service projects that everyone can participate in – young and old, high-risk or not – right from your kitchen table or cozy couch. Mobilize voters from under-represented demographics; craft protective masks to help limit the spread of Covid-19; support the hungry by donating money; and participate in weekly Virtual Justice Parties where we’ll learn more about these projects, offer tips, and celebrate the work we’ve done toward a shared goal. Stay tuned this week for separate emails describing each project and how to get involved. The first Virtual Justice Party will be this Saturday, April 11 at 3:00PM. If you have additional questions about any of the activities, please contact cgoss-grubbs@wuuc.org.

Vote Forward: Get Out the Vote!

Goal: 1000
Letters

ASJ is partnering with Vote Forward to make a difference from the safety of our homes. Vote Forward’s mission is to empower
grassroots volunteers to help register voters from under-represented demographics and encourage them to vote through letter-writing campaigns. Vote Forward identifies unregistered or inactive voters and personally encourages them to vote in the November election. The ASJ has a goal of sending out 1,000 letters! We supply everything you need: pre-printed letters, envelopes, stamps and instructions. You supply the labor and make it personal. Letters will be collected and stored until October 27, when thousands from all over the country will be sent out just before the November election.

Be sure to join our weekly Virtual Justice Parties to share your progress, work in service together, offer tips, and enjoy some fun and camaraderie!

Cover Your Mouth: Help Make Reusable Masks!

Goal: TBD (depends on how many offer help!)

The CDC is now recommending that everyone wear cotton face masks in public to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The ASJ wants to ensure that our own church members have masks to use, and would also like to help provide homemade masks to communities and agencies in need. Let’s organize to respond to this need! We need people with any of the following: mask-making ideas, crafting skills, materials to offer, a need for masks, and energy to organize this project! We’ll start by gathering names, what you have to offer and/or what you need, then bring this all together at our first Virtual Justice Party to help this project evolve.

Please contact cgoss-grubbs@wuuc.org to indicate if you:

• Can help make masks: pros and cons of different types will be discussed at our first Justice Party.
• Need a mask: indicate the number needed for your household.
• Can help with coordination, such as matching those providing supplies with those needing supplies, offering expert crafting tips, etc.
• Can help pick up and deliver supplies: this job is for healthy (“low-risk”) individuals under age 60, in order to reduce the risk of exposure to our higher-risk members.
• Can donate supplies: 100% cotton fabric – freshly washed and bagged with clean hands. This includes t-shirts and bed sheets in good condition, and leftover cotton fabrics; thread; pipe cleaners;possibly other supplies as the project evolves.

Spare Some Change: Give to The Hungry!

Goal: 25 Household Donations – any amount

Many people in our community are now unemployed due to the Covid-19 crisis, and are leaning on local organizations for extra support. Others still work from home or have otherwise remained employed, but find themselves spending less on entertainment, meals out, gas, travel, etc. Those saving money, please consider giving to organizations with increased demand for
supplies and services, and decreased tangible donations.

Below is a list of local organizations ASJ has deemed worthy of our support. Why not estimate your savings and donate that amount to one or more of these organizations? Check with your employer to see if they’ll match your donation! (Almost all those listed are matched by Microsoft). Two of these organizations serve the Snoqualmie Valley; this may seem skewed, but we have selected these because the percentage of residents living in poverty and with insecure income is higher in these rural communities than in the greater
Woodinville/Redmond Area. When you donate, please let cgoss-grubbs@wuuc.org know which organization(s) you donated to.
We will not be publicizing donor names, only the number of contributors to each organization.

Snoqualmie Valley Community Network.  This organization does a lot in the Snoqualmie Valley to support healthy families, including teen empowerment programs, weekend powerpacks (this is analogous to the weekend backpack program that WUUC supports, and a variety of critical family support programs.

Snoqualmie Valley Senior Center.  Even during this shutdown, the SnoValley Senior Center provides critical meals to go and meals-on-wheels to low-income seniors.  The Senior Center relies on frequent fund-raising events that were canceled, as well as a thrift store
(Re-in-Carnation) that is also closed.  They urgently need money to continue supporting the seniors in the
Snoqualmie Valley. 

Northshore Schools Foundation Basic Needs Aid Program. This fund supports Northshore School District families in crisis by allowing families to stock up on groceries or fill the car with fuel so that they can direct energy where it is most needed: finding a permanent solution to the situation at hand. During the past two years, donors have helped 56 families with students in Northshore schools through unexpected, catastrophic circumstances. Recently requests have gone up more than 30% due to the current pandemic causing
unexpected stress on our neighbors.

Friends of Youth. Friends of Youth delivers a broad range of services to youth and their families to improve their emotional stability and self-sufficiency.  They provide shelter, food, and support to teens and their families in the greater Kirkland area.  They are accepting cash donations, specific items purchased via an Amazon wish list, and Visa gift cards that will be distributed to help clients procure essential items.

Hopelink.  Multiple locations provide a host of essential resources to clients on the Eastside, including food, shelter, non-emergency medical transport, eviction prevention/support, etc.  The greatest need at the moment is cash contributions, because it gives them greater flexibility in procuring and providing the needed resources.  Also, they have an Emergency Food Box program.  There are instructions and a list of food items to provide for two weeks of food.