Community Action at Urbandale UCC

 

UUCC is involved! We invite you to explore these opportunities to make a difference:

 

  • Antiracist Efforts – Links to local groups with which we can join our efforts.
  • Banned Books Group – Distributing banned books in the community
  • Family Promise – Sheltering families for a week 4 times a year. Contact: Jon Duvick
  • Free Little Food Pantry – Providing food to those experiencing food insecurity in our neighborhood. Add/take food from the pantry in our South parking lot.
  • Habitat for Humanity – Helping repair and build affordable homes in our community.
  • Pride Day – In celebration of the LGBTQ community, in June.
  • Refugee Families – Aiding local refugee settlement.
  • School Partnership – Partnering with local elementary school to provide back to school and winter clothing items.
  • Urbandale Food Pantry – Donations collected monthly to help combat food insecurity in the community.

Community Action Events

[tribe_events_list category=”Community Action Events”]

Antiracist Efforts

After a group of church members studied the book, How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, the group developed a statement about why we believe Black Lives Matter, and decided to help others act locally by sharing a list of local antiracist efforts and resources. We also have a page for links to Local Governmental Advocacy.

Banned Books Group

We partner with Annie’s Foundation to distribute banned books in the community, focusing on minority and LGBTQ+IA youth.

Family Promise

We are a host church with the Family Promise of Greater Des Moines. Approximately four times per year for a week, we provide food and overnight shelter to three homeless families as an alternative to area shelters (which are forced by limited resources to separate husbands from wives and parents from their opposite-sex children). From cooking and serving, to serving as an overnight host, from providing transportation to organizing supplies and doing laundry, you can pitch in! Sign up in the Narthex in the weeks leading up to our Family Promise hosting. You can also sign up online at https://signup.zone/uucc-fp or contact Jon Duvick, Family Promise Coordinator at UUCC.

Family Promise Volunteers:

Coordinator Jobs (PDF, 250KB)
Volunteer Jobs (PDF, 263KB)
Coordination Tree (PDF, 169KB)

Next Hosting Week:

[tribe_events_list category=”Family Promise Week”]

Habitat for Humanity

We have helped out on projects of the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity.

Pride Day

This annual celebration of gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender identity is a perfect venue for us to proclaim our extravagant welcome as an Open and Affirming congregation and invite all into our fellowship.

Refugee Ministry

Urbandale UCC began working with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) and Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI) in 2021 and the work continues with a wide range of immigrant communities.  This ministry is part of our core values to support diversity and care for our world. LEARN  MORE…

School Partnership

Watch for announcements on Back-To-School and Winter Weather Gear collections to help our neighboring elementary school. 

Urbandale Food Pantry

The first image that comes to mind when you say “Urbandale” is not hunger. And yet just down the street from our church is Karen Acres, a school where 30 percent of its students qualify for free or reduced lunch (200% or less of the federal poverty level). Concerned Urbandale citizens worked in a collaborative partnership with the City of Urbandale, the Urbandale Community Action Network (UCAN), the Urbandale Ministerial Alliance, and the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) to start the Urbandale Food Pantry (now a separate 501(c)(3) non-profit) in 2008. We regularly collect items for the Pantry, and members volunteer regularly at the Pantry.

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