Share the Plate

A program of giving coordinated by the Social Action Committee at First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio

What is Share the Plate?

Share the Plate is a program already in place at many Unitarian Universalist congregations in which money from the offering is donated to a worthy cause.

At First UU, we will Share the Plate on the Second Sunday of each month beginning in July. All money donated during the offering that is not marked for the operating budget or other designations (such as pledges) will be donated to a non-profit organization that we feel connects to our UU principles.

Why Share the Plate?

Our mission statement calls for us to “engage in outreach and service to the wider community.”
Our UU principles call for us to work for justice and humanity
By reaching out to the community, we are showing to San Antonio who we are and what we stand for.

Won’t giving away money hurt our church?

No. In fact, congregations that Share the Plate report an increase in the giving nature of their members, resulting in higher pledges and a stronger budget.

Who will receive our money?

You can decide for us! We are taking nominations for organizations during the month of May. If you know an organization that could use our financial assistance, please fill out a nomination form and return it or email it by May 27, 2007. We will select 11 organizations (leaving one month open for The Community Responsibility Endowment Fund (CREF) to run their Flower Power campaign) and announce them this summer. We will also publicize the month’s donation well in advance, as well as giving the congregation more information about the chosen organization. Our vision is that we will not only give money, but stay in contact with the organization and have members who choose to get more involved.

Here are the Share the Plate Recipients, September 2007-August 2008:: September 2007: UU Housing Assistance Corporation: www.uuhac.org; October 2007: Battered Women's Shelter: www.fvps.org (Domestic Violence Awareness Month); November 2007: Fisher House: www.fisherhouse.org/theHouses/texas.shtml (Veteran's Day); December 2007: Under the Bridge: www.underthebridgesa.org; January 2008: Stand and Deliver; February 2008: San Antonio AIDS Foundation: www.txsaaf.org; March 2008: Community Responsibility Endowment Fund (CREF) CREF Flower Power grants are scheduled to be presented on March 16, 2008; April 2008: Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA): casa-satx.org (Child Abuse Prevention Month); May 2008: Dare to Love (the Rainbow Room): www.daretolove.info; June 2008: Planned Parenthood: www.ppsctx.org; July 2008: Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance: www.aquiferalliance.org; August 2008: Animal Defense League: www.adltexas.org

What if I have more questions?

To learn more about Share the Plate works in other congregations, read this great article from UU World: http://www.uuworld.org/2003/04/conglife.html.

If you have other questions, contact Diane Duesterhoeft at 436-1324 or by email at the address listed here.