As a congregation, we are dedicated to focusing on action when it comes to social justice issues, whether it involves speaking out on reproductive justice, democracy, fighting for our LGBTQ+ siblings, climate justice, immigration justice or creating awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement. ​

​Black Lives Matter Squad

Most fundamental to us as a congregation is our spiritual growth. We work to create spaces for us to dig deep and listen — learn — grow. If you’re interested in making a difference and expanding your knowledge of the BLM movement, consider joining our regularly meeting group. Learn more here. ​

Our work also intersects with the Democracy/UU the Vote squad (below), which partners with Center for Common Ground. Please see any upcoming BLM-related events here. 

Democracy/UU the Vote 

It’s time to gather your colored markers and get started with a year of mobilizing voters of color!

Since 2020, we have partnered with Center for Common Ground and its Reclaim Our Vote (ROV) postcarding campaign.

Primary voting promotes consistent voting habits, and greatly increases the likelihood of voting in the fall. Our postcards inform voters of where and when to vote, and key issues at stake. In spring, 2024, we worked with Reclaim Our Vote and Center for Common Ground for the upcoming Georgia Primary (general/non-partisan), the Virginia Primary, Team Unity NC.

Now we’re writing with the Team Unity GA coalition to registered Black voters in Georgia, where basic civil rights are threatened, to emphasize that their vote is consequential.

Join us in this good work! Here’s what we do

Or contact love@uuplattsburgh.org

Immigration

UU Fellowship Moves to Sponsor a Refugee Family

On April 14, the congregation voted to pursue sponsoring a refugee family through Welcome.Corps. Our plan is to sponsor a family of four, including children.

As of June 10, our group (Plattsburgh Refugee Organization–PRO) has been certified by Welcome Corps to be matched with refugees. So far, through one grant and private donations, we are about 60% of the way toward meeting the required minimal level of funds to sponsor a family of four.

Next steps lead to our being matched with a family–a process that can take from two weeks to several months. On June 18, PRO has its first meeting with our mentor from IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigration Services) to learn more about matching and the first 90 days of sponsorship.

Here’s where we all can help!

Network. Network. Network. Our PRO team is networking in search for safe and affordable housing (family of four, including two children); employment opportunities; donations to provide an apartment with furniture, kitchen items, linens.

For more information about making either type of donation or becoming involved in other ways, contact Ursula (ursulajones9@gmail.com) or Connie (shemoconnie@gmail.com). Thank you for your anticipated support!

Partnership with Plattsburgh Cares

Since 2017, our Immigration Squad has been partnering with Plattsburgh Cares. And as the immigration crisis in our area has evolved over these past six years, Plattsburgh Cares has responded to meet individuals’ humanitarian needs.

In Summer, 2023, the executive committee of Plattsburgh Cares created a new vision: to support our original mission by not only serving the refugee and asylum seekers in our area, but also local people or transients who are food insecure. Our focus now is to create food/emergency supply bags to be distributed by local motel owners (one bag for each family member/person) to people who are being put up by Emergency-After-Hours (Department of Social Services), Plattsburgh Cares, or (through a state grant) our partners at Catholic Charities/St. Joseph’s Community Outreach Center. 

Every two weeks or so, Plattsburgh Cares puts out an email call for a “food bag assembly crew” to meet on a given Friday morning at St. Joseph’s Community Outreach Center in order to fill about 75 emergency food bags. The food bags are dropped off at area motels where DSS places folks in emergency housing — including local citizens and noncitizens who find them themselves stranded in our county. We have been fortunate to have 6-12 volunteers each time we hold a session for food bag assembly. Usually the prepping, bagging and breaking down of boxes takes less than 90 minutes! Volunteer when you’re available. One time, a number of times.

Please reach out to us at love@uuplattsburgh.org if you would like to be on the Food Bag Assembly email list.

LGBTQ+ and Allies

Each of us has worth and dignity, and that worth includes our gender and our sexuality. As Unitarian Universalists, we not only open our doors to people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, we value diversity of sexuality and gender and see it as a spiritual gift. We create inclusive religious communities and work for LGBTQ+ justice and equity as a core part of who we are. All of who you are is sacred. All of who you are is welcome. Learn more. 

Join the UPLIFT monthly gatherings for trans, nonbinary, and other not-entirely-or-at-all-cis UUs. Join us to connect with other trans/nonbinary+ UUs and co-create support and community across our faith. All you need to bring is yourself (and other trans/nonbinary friends, if you’d like)! Learn more about this space.

Please see any upcoming LGBTQ+-related events here. 

Climate Squad

Join us for Sustainable Saturdays! League of Women Voters and the Nature Center at Point Au Roche State Park are partnering to present this monthly program.

Start off 2024 with a resolution to help our one and only Earth! This new program series will start January 20, 2024 and continue all year on the 3^rd Saturday of each month at 1:30 p.m. This series is geared toward adults who want to learn about and discuss how to live more sustainably and promote environmental action every month of the year. We’ll have information and guest speakers about topics like eco-conscious living on a budget, protecting our water resources, native plant gardening, composting, and more!