Gay Pride

We encouraged all First Parish families to celebrate Gay Pride during June, and to get involved as much as they could.  Families could participate in Pride activities (to learn more, check out www.bostonpride.org).  Families also could get involved legislatively with the important Congressional vote on same sex marriage.  Great news!!  We won!!!  To learn more about marriage equality, visit www.massequality.org. 

helping local Animal Shelter

Through out the month of May, we also collected supplies for Buddy Dog Animal Shelter.  Helping homeless animals is a great project for families with young kids.  To learn more about Buddy Dog, check out their website at www.buddydoghs.com

Walk for Hunger

In May, many First Parish children, youth, and adults did a two-mile-ish version of the walk.  All money collected benefits Project Bread's work to feed people who are hungry.  To learn more, check out their website at www.projectbread.org 

Earth Day Charles River Clean-up

 All families were invited to participate in the 8th annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup with the Charles River Conservancy on Saturday, April 21.  This is a hands-on way for folks of all ages to clean up trash and debris along the Charles.

Children's Annual Meeting

All First Parish children and youth were invited to join us on Sunday, March 11th during regular church time for our Children's Annual Meeting. During the meeting, they voted on which charitable organizations will receive the money raised in a coin collection during April ... Jimmy Fund and Buddy Dog Animal Shelter. They also voted almost unanimously to tell the adult community that we should become a Green Sanctuary and actively work to stop global warming. And then they also had the chance to sign up for a variety of helping jobs they can do here at First Parish.

Interfaith Walk for Climate Rescue

All First Parish families and friends were encouraged to join the Interfaith Walk for Climate Rescue happening from Northampton to Boston March 16 to 24.  A group of children and adults from First Parish joined the walk from Cambridge to Boston on Saturday, March 24th.  The event called for swift, bold, and comprehensive political action to address global warming.  To learn more, visit www.climatewalk.org.

Supporting Teen Leep

We encouraged all families to work with our Social Action Committee in February to help support Teen Leep (Leep stands for Leadership, Employment, & Enrichment program). Teen Leep provides business and entrepreneur training and opportunities to youth in DSS custody. There were two easy ways families could help! Donate books in the Giving boxes for the Social Action committee to deliver to Teen Leep. Folks can help anytime by going to their bookstore and art gallery, More Than Words, located at 376 Moody Street in Waltham. For more information, check out www.teenleep.org or call 781-788-0035.

Children’s Social Action Fair

All kids were invited to participate in fundraising for the charity of their choice in January.  Kids and youth gathered books and toys they no longer wanted and sold them at our Fair with all proceeds going to the charity of THEIR choice.  The event was a huge success and the kids raised hundreds of dollars for their charities.  Also, Seneca provided blank letters and collected messages from children and adults to send to Gov. Deval Patrick.  Many people used this opportunity to tell the new Governor what they hope he will do for Massachusetts.

Holiday helpers

During the month of December, all children and youth were encouraged to work with their families to support the two projects sponsored that month by the Social Action committee.  The first is to purchase a Christmas gift for one of the kids supported by the Grow Clinic (that helps children failing to thrive).  The other is to support the work of the U.U.S.C. by doing the Guest At Your Table program.  To learn more, check out their website at www.uusc.org

Thanksgiving baskets

In November, our children packaged 24 Thanksgiving Food baskets for local families in need.  We also made gifts to include in the gift baskets.  Our youth group purchased the food supplies with money generously provided by the Miller Tracy Children's Foundation.  This was our fourth year teaming up with them to do this important project.

Mix It Up!

In November, our entire community learned about Mix It Up Day, sponsored by Teaching Tolerance.  On Mix It Up Day, children are mixing it up in school cafeterias across the country.  They are encouraged to steop out of the comfort zones and connect with new people by switching seats at lunch.  By meeting people they normally don't talk to, they can start bringing down the walls that divide people based on race, class, etc.  To learn more, check our their website at www.mixitup.org. At First Parish, we encouraged people of all ages to take this positive step in anti-oppression and anti-racism work.  School cafeterias aren't the only places to bring down the walls and connect with new people!

Birthday Wishes  

In October, the children packaged 30 "goodie bags" to give to Birthday Wishes to use at their birthday parties for children living in homeless shelters. Some families sent in birthday gifts to give as well. We also collected Halloween Candy for Birthday Wishes to use in their goodie bags and pinatas.

Helping another UU church

In October, the children packaged 18 "pew packs" to send to the UU church in New Orleans so that visiting children could have activities to do while there.  Some families sent in their favorite R.E. books to give as well.