Plate Partner Nominations
We acknowledge, as Americans, that the land, country and society bequeathed to us is on one hand the product of conquest and exploitation and on the other “conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all are created equal”.
Justice is at the core of our faith and we are called on to make a positive difference in our wider community as we work to build a diverse, multicultural Beloved Community free of racism and oppression in our society, government and ourselves.
As Unitarian Universalist, we believe that each of us has worth and dignity and that worth includes our gender and sexuality; that women have a right to bodily autonomy; that every American has the right to vote and a right to health care and a sustainable way of life. We believe in the right of people to seek and to be granted asylum from persecution. We believe in and support the sovereignty of indigenous communities.
To these ends, we are eager to find and support movements and organizations that align with our mission, community needs, and the justice work of the UUA and ourselves. Such organizations may become a Plate Partner for one month during the year. During that month, we invite the Plate Partner to share their work and mission and we collect a portion of that month’s offering to share with the Plate Partner
The Social Justice Council looks to the members and friends of our congregation to nominate organizations to be Plate Partners.
Nominations are accepted at any time. However, once a year, usually in April or May, the Social Justice Council reviews the nominations seeking a balance of issues and alignment with our purposes. The congregation votes on the nominees and the Social Justice Council has the responsibility for the final list of Plate Partners..
Nominations should fit the following criteria:
- They are a 501(c)(3) organization, however this may be waived.
- They are local rather than national, although we do endorse and encourage continuing support for the ACLU and Planned Parenthood which have local affiliates that advocate for rights and policies in the Idaho Legislature
- They do not have a strong religious component and/or a zealous advocate for a particular creed
- They are nominated by a BUUF member or organization
- They have a BUUF member who will be a liaison between BUUF and the organization
- They have a mission that clearly falls under one or more the Seven UU principles as well as the Eight Principle.
- They do not violate any of our UU principles or previous UUA statements of conscience.
- They fall into one or more of the following categories with the understanding that other worthy initiatives can be considered at the discretion of Social Justice Council:
- racial justice & criminal justice reform
- environmental justice
- reproductive justice & health care
- gender issues
- economic justice
- refugee and immigrant justice
- child families and youth empowerment
- LGBTQ+ justice
Please contact the social justice council, Jim Bigelow, chair (jimbigelow51@gmail.com) or a member of the Social Justice Council with questions and comments.