FUSN Life / Social Action / Do One Thing
What one thing do you want to change in the world today?
You can make a difference.
Join like minded people to take action.
If you have an idea and don’t see it here, email socialaction [at] fusn [dot] org and let’s try to make it happen!
Email connecting to all projects: socialaction [at] fusn [dot] org.
Check out upcoming events on the FUSN Social Action Calendar.
Feed Give Advocate Mentor Build
Walk Share Garden
Feed
Give to Newton Food Pantry
Bring a box or can for hungry Newtonians on Community Breakfast Sundays. http://www.newtonfoodpantry.org FUSN contact: Jackie Colby
Volunteer at Greater Boston Food Bank
Sign up one Saturday (out of 10 per year) to sort food donations at a beautiful, modern facility in Boston which supplies New England soup kitchens and food banks. See Social Action calendar. http://www.gbfb.org FUSN contact: Eric Haas
Serve Lunch at Women’s Lunch Place
Join a group of FUSNites to cook and serve homeless women at Newbury Street church once a month. See SA calendar. http://womenslunchplace.org FUSN contact: Eileen Kurkoski
Project Zambia
Make a donation to support food and education for AIDS orphans in a community in Zambia. Find out about FUSN’s annual summer trip to Zambia (16 and older). Help with the March Youth Coffeehouse, which supplies funds. http://www.communitieswithoutborders.org. FUSN contact: Dick Bail
Give
(November - December)
Stand High/Stand United: Gifts to Roxbury Kids
Buy Christmas gifts for Roxbury youth. http://www.uuum.org, FUSN contact: Judy Friedman
Healthy Baby Gifts: For at-risk Boston Children
Donate gifts for low-income kids at Christmas. FUSN contact: Beth Walton, RE Assistant
Alternative Gift Fair: For FUSN Social Action
Instead of a tie or a box of candy, give your loved ones a card marking your donation in their honor to a FUSN-endorsed charity. At coffee hour one Sunday in December. FUSN contact: Sharon Sisskind
Buy UUSC Holiday Cards
Beautiful cards for sale in December, funds international justice work by the Unitarian Universalist Service Committe. http://www.uusc.org/ FUSN contact: Karen Lein
UUSC Holiday Guest at Our Table
Support UU justice efforts around the world. http://www.uusc.org/ FUSN contact: Karen Lein
Holiday Prison Gift Project
Purchase and donate Christmas items from a list of toiletries, etc., to be given to one of the 1,700 inmates in Concord prisons, many of whom receive no other gifts. http://www.concordprisonoutreach.org/programs/holiday-gift-bag-program/ FUSN contact: Mary Lou McArdle
UU Mass Action Advocacy Day at the State House
On Tuesday, May 13th, join other UUs from FUSN and across Massachusetts at the State House to celebrate 10 Years of Marriage for All, and to promote this year’s issues: raising the minimum wage, and reforming criminal justice and immigration laws. Find out more at http://www.uumassaction.org/ FUSN contact: Lynn Holbein
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Find out how to support sensible gun control laws at https://momsdemandaction.org/ FUSN contact: Elaine Pratt
NAMI: Advocate Funding for Mental Health Services
Walk or sponsor a walker on May 10, 2014. The NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) Walk supports the mentally ill and their families. http://www.namimass.org/ FUSN contact: Nancy Stanton
20/20 Action: 20 Minute Action each Month
Make a difference for peace and the environment, You will receive a postcard or email each month explaining what you can do in 20 minutes or less, usually a call or quick note to a legislator. http://www.2020action.org/ FUSN contact: Peter Smith
Green Sanctuary: Reduce Climate Change
Learn about lots of ways to reduce your carbon footprint. FUSN contact: Carrie van der Laan
UU United Nations Office: New York Spring Conference
Learn how you can support the UN’s work for peace, human rights, environment & diplomacy. http://www.uua.org/international/un/ FUSN contact: Peter Smith
UU Urban Ministry: After School Tutoring
Partner with middle-schoolers at a Unitarian Church in Roxbury, for homework help or enriching field trips. http://www.uuum.org/ FUSN contact: Judy Friedman
Partakers College Behind Bars: College Inmates
Join of a FUSN team who visits monthly with an inmate who is taking classes to obtain a college degree while in prison. http://partakers.org/site/ FUSN contact: Elizabeth Godrick
Mather School: Tutor Inner-City Kids
Tutor elementary school kids in Dorchester in basic skills, and support them with school supplies and nutritious snacks during MCAS testing. FUSN contact: Rev. Cheryl Lloyd
Project Zambia: Summer Trip to Teach Kids in Africa
Find out about FUSN’s annual summer trip to Zambia (16 and older), and help raise funding for education for AIDS orphans. http://www.communitieswithoutborders.org. FUSN contact: Dick Bail
Read UU Common Read: Behind the Kitchen Door
Read this year’s book chosen by Unitarian Universalists across the country to read. The invisible lives of those who prepare our restaurant food. http://www.uua.org/re/multigenerational/read/ FUSN contact: Alice Wood
Project Zambia: Travel, Teach, Raise Contributions
Summer service trip of FUSNites (age 16 and up) who travel to Zambia to teach children and make friends. http://www.communitieswithoutborders.org/ FUSN contact: Dick Bail
Prison Art Program: Substitute Art Teacher
Occasional substitutes needed to join other FUSNites to carpool and lead this ongoing prison art class. We leave Newton at 5, and the class is Thursday nights from 6-8. No art experience necessary, just sit and chat with “the guys.” FUSN contact: Lynn Holbein
Alternatives to Violence: Prisoner Weekend Program
Award-winning curriculum for a weekend of exploring and sharing with people behind bars. Learn more at http://www.avpusa.org/ FUSN contact: Jim Emerson
Join an Eco-Team: Learn about Energy Conservation
Learn strategies for decreasing your carbon footprint. FUSN contact: Eric Olson
Habitat for Humanity: One of 3 Weekends a Year
With FUSN folks, hammer and paint on a Habitat project. See Social Action calendar for dates. http://www.habitat.org/ FUSN contact: Barney Freiberg-Dale
Bikes Not Bombs: Fix Bikes with City Kids
Donate used bikes fixed in Roxbury and sold in Central America. Bring your used bikes to the FUSN bike drive held each spring. https://bikesnotbombs.org/ FUSN contact: Joyce Pollock
Project Zambia: Building Projects in Zambia
Consider going on the summer trip to work with kids and help build a new school in Zambia. Help raise funds to educate AIDS orphans there. http://www.communitieswithoutborders.org/ FUSN contact: Dick Bail
Walk (or sponsor)
Louis D. Brown Peace Institute: Mother’s Day Walk
On Mother’s Day, join the FUSN team on the Mother’s Day Walk for Peace. This walk supports the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, which helps families who have lost children and teens to gun violence. http://ldbpeaceinstitute.org/ FUSN contact: Josie Greene
Walk for Hunger: May 4th
Walk or sponsor a walker on the FUSN team on May 4th to raise funds for 400 soup kitchens and food pantries in Massachusetts. http://support.projectbread.org/site/TR/Walk/General?team_id=74406&pg=team&fr_id=1230 FUSN contact: Lynn Holbein
National Alliance on Mental Illness Walk in May 10, 2014
Walk or sponsor a walker to support persons with mental illness and their families. https://securewalks.nami.org/registrant/LoginRegister.aspx?eventid=132730&langpref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.namiwalks.org%2f FUSN contact: Nancy Stanton
Walk to End Alzheimer’s on September 28, 2014
Walk or sponsor a walker to raise awareness and support efforts to fight Alzheimer’s. http://act.alz.org/site/PageServer?pagename=walk_homepage FUSN contact: Barney Freiberg-Dale
Green Sanctuary: Nature Walks for Families
Spring walks to appreciate our natural environment. FUSN contact: Carrie van der Laan
Boston Pride Parade: Walk with FUSN on June 14, 2014
Walk with the FUSN group to support equal rights. http://www.bostonpride.org/parade/ FUSN contact: Barney Freiberg-Dale
Share
Second Step: Used Items/Furniture
Donate items to help re-house victims of domestic violence. http://www.thesecondstep.org/Home.aspx FUSN contact: Mary-Ann Greene
Choose Fair Trade Coffee
Buying Fair Trade coffee and chocolate when you shop supports living wages for farmers around the world. http://fairtradeusa.org/products-partners/coffee FUSN contact: Mike Arnott
Coming of Age: Ecclesia with Boston Homeless
Mentors and mentees spend a weekend in Boston getting to know and helping homeless men and women. http://www.ecclesia-ministries.org/ FUSN contact: Perry Montrose
Project Zambia: March Coffeehouse
Youth bands, fun acts, what’s not to like? And the money raised will educate AIDS orphans in Zambia. http://www.communitieswithoutborders.org/ FUSN contact: Carol Reichert
FUSN Community Garden for Newton Food Pantry
Get your hands dirty raising fresh produce for those who visit the Newton Food Pantry. FUSN contact: Paul Antonucci & Lois Shapiro
Earth Day Events for Families – April 22, 2014
Help with a wide variety of fun intergenerational activities to educate the public about protecting our earth. FUSN contact: Carrie van der Laan
Go on a Community-Supported Agriculture Field Trip
Tour a farm in which you can buy a share of locally grown organic produce. FUSN contact: Mark Leicester
Buy at Local Farmers Markets
Support your local farmers, get fresh food from its source. There are two weekly Farmers’ Markets in Newton from early July until the end of October.
