The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship ‘Shares the Plate’ with the Georgia Conflict Center

By Karen Solheim

As part of its new Share the Plate initiative, The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens (UUFA) recently presented John Lash, Executive Director of the Georgia Conflict Center, with a check for $1,007.37. Selected by UUFA’s Social Action Committee to be September’s Cause of the Month, the Georgia Conflict Center received one half of all undesignated offering monies collected during this time.

“We are extremely proud to be able to support the work that the Georgia Conflict Center is doing in this community,” notes Board of Trustees member Karen Solheim.

UUFA’s Cause of the Month program began in 2005, but in July 2013 changed the way it financially supports each charitable cause. Solheim explains, “Previously we shared only one special collection on the first Sunday of the month with the selected organization. Beginning this July we share half the collection each and every Sunday with our chosen organization. Also, we began encouraging members and friends to give some of their time and talent in support of the particular charity selected. These huge changes make UUFA even more socially supportive and active in the larger Athens community. Our initial data shows greater generosity in our weekly collections, which means we can share more with organizations in need.”

During the first three months of the new Share the Plate Initiative, UUFA has donated over $3,300 total to these three organizations: Casa de Amistad, the Georgia Conflict Center, and the Athens Economic Justice Coalition.

For more information about Share the Plate or the Cause of the Month initiatives, contact Karen Solheim, UUFA Secretary, Board of Trustees (UUFA.Secretary@gmail.com) or 706.202.7515.