Giving "Beyond Our Walls"

Our "Beyond Our Walls" Collections

Once a month, funds identified as “Beyond Our Walls” (BOW) are donated to a charity or social service project that our Social Justice Team has identified as being in harmony with our mission to be “…a force for compassionate social justice.”

Click here to read recent letters from some of the organizations and causes we support.

This Month's Recipient - UUSG Make a difference Fund

Life comes at you fast, and sometimes, it catches you by surprise. The UUSG Make-A-Difference Fund is our way of helping members in need of immediate financial relief. Because helping is what community does.

Please give generously by the end of the month! Write checks to "UUSG" with "BOW" in the memo line. You can also give online here.

Past Collections

In March 2024 we raised $1,279.42 to complete the four-year scholarship for a student at the Jane Adeny Memorial School in Kenya.

In February 2024 we raised $1,607.26 for the YRUU trip to build a house this summer in Redwing, Minnesota. Your donation will help our youth assist a family in achieving the dream of owning a home so they will achieve the independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.

In January 2024 we raised $1,330.71 for the Jane Adeny Memorial School in Kenya. JAMS is a secondary school that is “good enough for the richest but open to the poorest.” It is empowering girls to become women who participate fully in the life of the nation.

In December 2023 we raised $1,515.40 for Mutual Ground. Mutual Ground Domestic and Sexual Abuse Shelter provides a number of essential services to people throughout Kane and nearby counties. The Shelter offers a crisis hotline, residential services, family services, and much more.

In November 2023 we raised $1926.38 for Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. MSHV provides services for seven counties in the western suburbs including: affordable & transitional housing, supportive services for veteran families, and veteran employment programs. Some of the funding comes from grants but MSHV relies heavily on private donations. Our generosity will be very helpful to the veterans they help right here in the Fox Valley area.

In October 2023 we raised $903.22 for the Humanitarian Service Projects. The mission of HSP is to alleviate the pain and suffering that poverty brings to seniors and children in DuPage and Kane Counties, without discrimination or exclusion for any reason. HSP's Senior Citizen Project helps to ensure that basic needs are met for low-income seniors, while HSP's Children's Project provides food, school supplies, and birthday party kits to children and low-income families. Funds raised this month will be used to purchase products that will be assembled into kits during the Week of Service in spring.

In September 2023 we raised $1,459.47 for our UUSG Food Ministries. The first Saturday of each month volunteers from UUSG provide lunches or dinners, and stay overnight to assist the 180 people served by Lazarus House homeless shelter. Another 300 people are fed at the “Sandwich Board,” Aurora’s Soup Kitchen located in the Trinity Episcopal Church. UUSG has a standing commitment to provide water, cookies, and snackbars for lunches.

In August 2023 we raised $970.49 for Hesed House. Hesed House in Aurora is a national model for ending homelessness – one person, one family at a time. They are the second-largest homeless shelter in the State of Illinois, and the largest shelter outside of the city of Chicago. The culmination of nearly three decades of strategic evolution. Their highly skilled professionals collaborate to provide the tools necessary to help individuals and families break free of the shackles binding them to homelessness. With the help of professional staff, alliances with outside agencies over a thousand people are served through Hesed House’s shelter and three housing programs annually. At their Comprehensive Homeless Resource Center, people receive support related to housing, support systems, life skills, legal issues, physical/emotional abuse, mental/physical health, and much more.

In July 2023 we raised $979.20 for Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants. ICDI provides a number of essential services for immigrants and asylum-seekers, including: Offering housing, financial assistance, and case management to people who would otherwise have been detained in traumatizing conditions; Providing support to immigrants being held in ICE detention in county jails; Accompanying immigrants in court and serve as observers to hold the Immigration Court system accountable; Visiting migrant children apprehended by the US Government for crossing the border who are awaiting reunification with a family member.

In June 2023 we raised $827.20 for Youth Outlook. Youth Outlook is solely dedicated to the support of LGBTQ+ youth. Working in 6 counties, they offer drop-in centers, providing a safe space  for youth, to meet other LGBTQ+ young people, as well as a support group for people who are parenting LGBTQ teens. 

In May 2023 we raised $1,217.27 for the Northern Illinois Food Bank. The Northern Illinois Food Bank provides food to 900 sites, including food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, and other programs. In addition, they sponsor child nutrition after school and summer programs, they operate two traveling food pantry trucks, they provide monthly boxes of food for seniors. Every dollar which you donate provides $8 worth of groceries.

In April 2023 we raised 1,935.20 for UUSG’s Make a Difference (MAD) Fund. The fund was established in 1996 to respond to requests from church members and friends for practical, short-term, one-time emergency financial assistance. We have been able to help many members since then.

In March 2023 we raised $1,332.78 for Fox Valley Hands of Hope which provides compassionate guidance and support to those in the Fox Valley area who are grieving. At no cost to clients, FVHH provides individual grief counseling for children and adults, as well as family counseling, and support groups. In addition, they work with local school groups to bring grief support groups directly to schools. They also run day-long family programs.

In February 2023 we raised $2,030.61 for our YRUU Habitat for Humanity Trip. The collection will help fund the YRUU trip to build a Habitat for Humanity house this summer in Redwing, MN. Donations will help our youth assist a family in achieving the dream of owning a home, and homeowners will achieve the independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.

In January 2023 we raised $1,617.45 for the Jane Adeny Memorial School in Kenya (JAMS).  Your “Beyond Our Walls” donation this month will help pay for Rose Atieno’s 4-year scholarship. Rose is a straight A student who plans to become a doctor, but her father is a farmer who can only afford to pay for food and clothing. Your donation will empower her to qualify for a university education.

In December 2022 we raised 1,028.83 for Mutual Ground. Mutual Ground Domestic and Sexual Abuse Shelter provides a number of essential services to people throughout Kane and nearby counties. The Shelter offers a crisis hotline, residential services, family services, and much more.

In November 2022 we raised $1,699.17 for Veterans Path to Hope. Veterans from WWII up to our present conflicts have successfully participated in Veterans Path to Hope services and have found employment, reconnected with their communities, and rejoined their families. Their programs are staffed by veterans and veteran-friendly individuals who have knowledge of the challenges that face veterans and demonstrate an individualized approach to each concern. This organization has transformed lives through its work with veterans in our part of Illinois.

In October 2022 we raised $1,223.06 for the Humanitarian Service Project’s Senior Gift Bag program. The mission of HSP is to alleviate the pain and suffering that poverty brings to seniors and children in DuPage and Kane Counties, without discrimination or exclusion for any reason. HSP's Senior Citizen Project helps to ensure that basic needs are met for low-income seniors. Funds raised this month will be used to purchase hygiene products that will be assembled in gift bags for seniors during the Week of Service in spring.

In September 2022 we raised $1,289.69 for our Food Ministries. The first Saturday of each month volunteers from UUSG provide lunches or dinners, and stay overnight to assist the 300 men, women, and children served by Lazarus House homeless shelter. Another 180 people are fed at the “Sandwich Board,” Aurora’s Soup Kitchen located in the Trinity Episcopal Church. UUSG has a standing commitment to provide water, cookies, and snackbars for lunches.

In August 2022 we raised $1,480.90 for Hesed House. Hesed House in Aurora is a national model for ending homelessness – one person, one family at a time. They are the second-largest homeless shelter in the State of Illinois, and the largest shelter outside of the city of Chicago. The culmination of nearly three decades of strategic evolution. Their highly skilled professionals collaborate to provide the tools necessary to help individuals and families break free of the shackles binding them to homelessness. With the help of professional staff, alliances with outside agencies over a thousand people are served through Hesed House’s shelter and three housing programs annually. At their Comprehensive Homeless Resource Center, people receive support related to housing, support systems, life skills, legal issues, physical/emotional abuse, mental/physical health, and much more.

In July 2022 we raised $1,262.93 for the Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants. ICDI provides a number of essential services for immigrants and asylum-seekers, including: Offering housing, financial assistance, and case management to people who would otherwise have been detained in traumatizing conditions; Providing support to immigrants being held in ICE detention in county jails; Accompanying immigrants in court and serve as observers to hold the Immigration Court system accountable; Visiting migrant children apprehended by the US Government for crossing the border who are awaiting reunification with a family member.

In June 2022 we raised $1,014.76 for Youth Outlook. Youth Outlook is solely dedicated to the support of LGBTQ+ youth. Working in 6 counties, they offer drop-in centers, providing a safe space for youth, to meet other LGBTQ+ young people, as well as a support group for people who are parenting LGBTQ teens.

In May 2022 we raised $1,931.31 for the Northern Illinois Food Bank. The Northern Illinois Food Bank provides food to 900 sites, including food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, and other programs. In addition, they sponsor child nutrition after school and summer programs, they operate two traveling food pantry trucks, they provide monthly boxes of food for seniors. Every dollar which you donate provides $8 worth of groceries.

In April 2022 we raised $1,372.17 for the Fox River Valley Initiative. UUSG collaborates with other churches and non-profits in Kane County through the Fox River Valley Initiative. Working together, we are making  a difference in: Availability of Crisis Stabilization Units (CSUs) quickly offering treatment rather than incarceration for people experiencing mental illness and/or addiction; Affordable and accessible housing for individuals, families, and young adults; and Advocating for the production and purchase of safe guns for use by law enforcement.

In March 2022 we raised $3,102.54 for the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's Emergency Response Fund for Ukraine. The goal is to ensure that UUSC is always ready to provide relief, including their developing work to protect the rights of Ukrainian refugees. Read more at https://www.uusc.org.

In February 2022 we raised $1,392.04 for Habitat for Humanity of the Northern Fox Valley, and our YRUU Habitat for Humanity trip. Your donations help families achieve the dream of owning a home. Habitat homeowners build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. With the organization’s help, homeowners achieve the independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.

In January 2022 we raised $1,360.08 for the Jane Adeny Memorial School in Kenya. JAMS is a secondary school that is “good enough for the richest but open to the poorest.” It is empowering girls to become women who participate fully in the life of the nation. The money raised this month will go towards a scholarship for a student who will be admitted this spring in the class of ’25. For $800 a year, we are providing room and board, tuition, clothing, and basic supplies

In December 2021 we raised $1,945.68 for Mutual Ground. The vision of Mutual Ground Shelter in Aurora is to create a society free of domestic and sexual violence by providing education, awareness, and life-changing services that empower individuals, families, and communities to end the cycles of domestic and sexual violence in Kane and Kendall Counties. They provide counseling, advocacy, education, and shelter as well as a 24/7 hot line

In November 2021 we raised $1,981.41 for Veterans Path to Hope (formerly known as TLS Veterans). Since 2001, this organization has provided shelter and support for veterans who want a chance to rebuild their lives. In 2011, they added a drop-in resource center for veterans and their families. It offers certified veteran peer counseling support to any veteran and family in need of assistance along with food and clothing if needed. This organization has transformed lives through its work with veterans in our part of Illinois.

In October 2021 we raised $1,922.39 for the Humanitarian Service Project. The mission of HSP is to alleviate the pain and suffering that poverty brings to seniors and children in DuPage and Kane Counties, without discrimination or exclusion for any reason. HSP's Senior Citizen Project helps to ensure that basic needs are met for low-income seniors. If UUSG can sponsor a Day of Service in spring, the funds raised this month will be used to purchase hygiene products that will be assembled into gift bags for the seniors served by this program. If we cannot meet in person, the funds will be donated directly to HSP.

In September 2021 we raised $1,880.50 for Lazarus House. At a time when we are celebrating homecoming, we remember people who have no home to which they can return. Three hundred of our neighbors are being served currently, and they need our help. The first Saturday of each month volunteers from UUSG provide lunches, dinners, and stay overnight. Families have found that it is a great project to prepare 17 sack lunches. Others fix a casserole and salad for 12. And now once again we need a volunteer who will stay overnight in a separate room and be available to assist the staff member in an emergency. Please sign up at the UUSG website – click on “Get Involved.” But all this takes money, so in September, our Beyond our Walls offering will go to our Lazarus House ministry. Half will go directly to meet the needs of the shelter, and half will replenish our funds to reimburse UUSG chefs or provide meals.

In August 2021 we raised $1,313.57 for Hesed House. Hesed House in Aurora is a national model for ending homelessness – one person, one family at a time. They are the second-largest homeless shelter in the State of Illinois, and the largest shelter outside of the city of Chicago. The culmination of nearly three decades of strategic evolution. Their highly skilled professionals collaborate to provide the tools necessary to help individuals and families break free of the shackles binding them to homelessness. With the help of professional staff, alliances with outside agencies over a thousand people are served through Hesed House’s shelter and three housing programs annually. At their Comprehensive Homeless Resource Center, people receive support related to housing, support systems, life skills, legal issues, physical/emotional abuse, mental/physical health, and much more.

In July 2021 we raised $1,339.73 for Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants. ICDI provides a number of essential services for immigrants and asylum-seekers, including: Offering housing, financial assistance, and case management to people who would otherwise have been detained in traumatizing conditions; Providing support to immigrants being held in ICE detention in county jails; Accompanying immigrants in court and serve as observers to hold the Immigration Court system accountable; Visiting migrant children apprehended by the US Government for crossing the border who are awaiting reunification with a family member.

In June 2021 we raised $1,053.54 for Youth Outlook. Youth Outlook is the first social service agency in Illinois solely dedicated to the support of LGBTQ youth. They work in six counties in the Chicago suburbs, offering drop-in centers for youth, support for parents, and community education. A number of new centers have been added in our region this year. UUSG has proudly supported this work for years and Youth Outlook has grown with our help.

In May 2021 we raised $1,436.50 for Lazarus House. Lazarus House Homeless Shelter, which is both an Emergency Shelter and a Center for Transitional Living located in St. Charles. Serving as an Emergency shelter involves being open 24 hours on Monday through Saturday and 16 hours on Sunday. They make available 3 meals a day, shower and laundry facilities, and personal hygiene items. The Center for Transitional Living provides individual rooms as well as space for families to stay together. The staff creates case management plans with the goal of helping their guests attain permanent independence. In addition, Lazarus House has arranged for health care, tutoring, haircuts, credit counseling, employment services, and more. This month’s donations will be split evenly, one-half goes to UUSG’s fund for reimbursing our meal providers and one-half goes directly to Lazarus House programs.

In April 2021 we raised $1,237.07 for the Fox River Valley Initiative. UUSG’s membership in the Fox River Valley Initiative magnifies our social justice voice in the region while connecting us with like-minded congregations and nonprofits in our community to advocate for affordable housing, policies addressing needs of mentally ill individuals in the criminal justice system, and safe guns.

In March 2021 we raised $1,983.80 for The UUSG “Make a Difference” (MAD) fund. The fund was established in 1996 to respond to requests from church members and friends for practical, short-term, one-time emergency financial assistance. We have been able to help many members since then.

In February 2021 we raised $1,840.32 for Habitat for Humanity of the Northern Fox Valley. Your donations help families achieve the dream of owning a home. Habitat homeowners build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. With the organization’s help, homeowners achieve the independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.

In January 2021 we raised $2,043.98 for Jane Adeny Memorial School (JAMS) in Kenya. When practically all of the schools in Kenya were closed for the pandemic, JAMS was unique – the teachers provided remote learning. They lived at the school and contacted the students twice a week through What’s App. The school hand-delivered phones to girls living in the most remote areas of Kenya. As one of the students said recently, the teachers “would contact them and know whether they were alive or dead.” Wendy Ochido, the student being sponsored by UUSG, wrote to tell us that she was balancing her classwork and house chores. She has also joined a group doing charity work like “helping the elder people in the village.” She noted that “learning at home has been quite difficult” since the schools had only been in session for about a month before COVID closed them. She cannot wait to return to JAMS. Donations collected will go towards her 4-year scholarship and to educational software designed for Kenya.

In December 2020 we raised $1,270.11 for Mutual Ground. The vision of Mutual Ground Shelter in Aurora is to create a society free of domestic and sexual violence by providing education, awareness, and life-changing services that empower individuals, families, and communities to end the cycles of domestic and sexual violence in Kane and Kendall Counties. They provide counseling, advocacy, education, and shelter as well as a 24/7 hot line. Their work is threatened by deep budget cuts from the State of Illinois.

In November 2020 we raised $2,060.04 for TLS Veterans. TLS Veterans operates a transitional living program for 20 homeless veterans in our area. Since 2001 this program, along with their drop-in resource center, has helped many veterans find employment, reconnect with their communities and rejoin their families.

In October 2020 we raised $948.45 for the Humanitarian Seniors Project. The HSP Senior Gift Bag project supplies 140 area seniors with hygiene projects, facial tissues, and other special gifts that meet their basic and emotional needs.

In March - September 2020 we raised $8,008.05 for the Northern Illinois Food Bank. We started this special continuing collection due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The NIFB provides nutritious meals to those in need through innovative programs and partnerships. They distributed 66 million meals last year! Northern Illinois Food Bank has received Charity Navigator’s 4-Star rating since 2003 for its fiscal responsibility. Ninety-seven percent of the Food Bank’s resources go to programs that feed the hungry. The Food Bank can stretch every $1 donated into $8 worth of groceries!

In March 2020 we raised $433.00 for Youth Outlook, which is the first social service agency in Illinois solely dedicated to the support of LGBTQ youth. They work in 6 counties in the Chicago suburbs, offering drop-in centers for youth, parent support, and community education.

In February 2020 we raised $2,088.00 for the YRUU Habitat for Humanity Trip. Our church’s commitment to Habitat for Humanity includes support for a trip for our teens to work with a Habitat affiliate in Minnesota for a week every summer.

In January 2020 we raised $1,173.00 for a new student at the Jane Adeny Memorial Secondary School (JAMS) for girls in rural Kenya. For the past 4 years, UUSG sponsored Varon Amondi who has graduated and is well on her way to reaching her goal of becoming a surveyor. This month someone new will be taking her place at the school. Like Varon, this girl will come from an impoverished family, and most likely she will be an orphan. Twice a year we can exchange letters with our new student. Please contact jeanpierce@aol.com if you would like to get to know our student in this important and fulfilling way.

In December 2019 we raised $400.00 for the Literacy Trivia Bee and $744.50 for Mutual Ground. The Trivia Bee benefits the Fox Valley Literacy Volunteers, who provide one-to-one literacy tutoring to adults in Kane County, and have partnered with us in the past by providing books that we take to the Illinois Youth Center in conjunction with our Holiday Party. Mutual Ground Shelter provides services in Kane and Kendall Counties for Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. They provide shelter and services to approximately 1500 women and children each year. Their goal is to empower victims to make their own decisions when provided support, encouragement, and information.

In November 2019 we raised $1,113.00 for TLS Veterans and $1,082.00 for the Illinois Youth Center. TLS Veterans operates a transitional living program for 20 homeless veterans in our area. Since 2001 this program, along with their drop-in resource center, has helped many veterans find employment, reconnect with their communities and rejoin their families. The Illinois Youth Center is home to about 100 teenage boys who are involved in the juvenile justice system. For over 20 years, UUSG has provided a holiday party in December and has purchased items ranging from things like toothpaste and shampoo to a popcorn machine or computers for the library.

In October 2019 we raised $712.00 for The Humanitarian Service Project (HSP). The HSP Senior Gift Bag project supplies 140 area seniors with hygiene projects, facial tissues, and other special gifts that meet their basic and emotional needs.

In September 2019 we raised $1,048 for Lazarus House. Lazarus House provides safe shelter, food, and a range of support services for men, women and children in need of help in St Charles, Geneva, Batavia and Western Kane county.

In August 2019 we raised $799 for the Northern Illinois Food Bank. The NIFB provides nutritious meals to those in need through innovative programs and partnerships. They distributed 66 million meals last year! Northern Illinois Food Bank has received Charity Navigator’s 4-Star rating since 2003 for its fiscal responsibility. Ninety-seven percent of the Food Bank’s resources go to programs that feed the hungry. The Food Bank can stretch every $1 donated into $8 worth of groceries!

In July 2019 we raised $557.50 for GirlForward. GirlForward is a community of support, in Chicago and Austin, TX, dedicated to creating and enhancing opportunities for girls who have been displaced by conflict and persecution. Why refugees? Why girls? In conflict, girls are especially vulnerable to rape, violence, isolation, and being kept out of school. Girls face huge challenges: poverty, language barrier, limited or disrupted education, isolation, and trauma. But when girls succeed, everyone benefits. We have Three Core Programs that support girls, ages 14-21, who identify as refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers. The first is a Mentoring program. Mentors are paired with girls and encouraged to engage in the 4W activities-Wellness, Wisdom, Wallet, and World. Each year, 100% of our Mentoring Program seniors graduate from high school and close to 90%  go on to attend college. The second is Education which builds their English and academic skills and allows exploration of their identities and the world around them. Our tutoring program and summer camps are also included. The third is the Safe Spaces Program which includes a combination of tutoring, support groups, regular workshops and field trips. Their website is girlforward.org

In June 2019 we raised $1,220 for the Jane Adeny Memorial School for Girls in rural Kenya.  JAMS provides an education “good enough for the richest and open to the poorest.” Some of the students have parents who can pay at least some of their school fees; however, most JAMS students would not be in school if not for the support of generous donors. Some of these students are orphans, others desperately poor. By addressing the financial barriers that would normally keep girls from attending a secondary school, JAMS is answering the recommendation by the Global Campaign for Education to address financial issues to allow for greater gender equity in education.  

In May 2019 we raised $525 for the Human Library of the Fox Valley. The Human Library of the Fox Valley is a nonprofit that engages the public in conversations about equality, diversity, and human rights, with the goals of reducing tension and violence and increasing social cohesion.

In April 2019 we raised $790 for The Conservation Foundation. The Conservation Foundation is a non-profit land and river protection organization founded in 1972. The support of more than 3,500 members and 500 volunteers helps us carry out our mission to preserve and restore open space and natural lands, protect rivers and watersheds, and promote stewardship of our environment in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties, Illinois.

In March 2019 we collected $813 for Youth Outlook, which is the first social service agency in Illinois solely dedicated to the support of LGBTQ youth. They work in 6 counties in the Chicago suburbs, offering drop-in centers for youth, parent support, and community education.

In February 2019 we raised $1,702 for the YRUU and Young Adult Habitat trips!

In January 2019 we raised $1,040 for Bridge Communities. This year UUSG’s donation will go to the Bridge Communities Founders fund that that prepares Bridge teens for independence with college preparation workshops, career assessment, ACT and SAT tutoring and scholarships. 

In December 2018 we collected $1,177 for our Holiday Lights Fund which supports the Literacy Volunteers of Fox Valley Trivia Bee, and provides gifts to the YRUU Habitat for Humanity Family. We also raised $1,088 at our Christmas Eve Services for the UUSG “Make A Difference Fund” and the Humanitarian Service Project’s Senior Gift Bags".

In November 2018 we collected $781.00 for the Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles, and $798 for the Blinded Veterans Association. The Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles is home to about 100 teenage boys who are involved in the juvenile justice system. Some are there for a few weeks, while some are there for years. The Center does include a school and some rehabilitative services, but life is fairly bleak.  For over 20 years, UUSG has provided a holiday party in December and has purchased items ranging from things like toothpaste and shampoo to a popcorn machine or computers for the library. The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) came into existence shortly after WWII. It was important in encouraging the government to establish the first Blind Rehabilitation Center at Hines VA in Illinois. Blind rehabilitation is necessary not only for war injuries but alsofor treatment of impaired vision due to a myriad of diseases. The BVA serves as an advocate for programs in lobbying congress as for the individual veteran who is seeking service connected disability. Recent war injuries have increased the need for services with Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) leading to accompanying vision deficits. In one study of 46 combat  veterans, the blast injury itself led to 43% receiving eye injury without penetrating wounds. In addition, many TBI patients have accompanying hearing loss. The BVA has for over sixty years been advocating for the veteran as he comes home from war with enduring visual impairments.

In October 2018 we collected $595.00 for the Humanitarian Service Project and $585 for CROP Walk. The HSP Senior Gift Bag project supplies area seniors with hygiene projects, facial tissues, and other special gifts that meet their basic and emotional needs. CROP Hunger Walks help support hunger-fighting development efforts and are community-wide events that raise fund to end hunger at home and around the world.

In September 2018 we collected $1,096.50 for Lazarus House. Lazarus House provides safe shelter, food and a range of support services for men, women and children in need of help in St Charles, Geneva, Batavia and Western Kane county.  In addition to shelter and food, Lazarus provides case management that helps people identify benefits that they are eligible to receive from other social service agencies in our area that offer support for employment, food pantries, low income housing, medical care, mental health counseling, addiction counseling and more. 

In August 2018 we collected $961 for the Northern Illinois Food Bank. The NIFB provides nutritious meals to those in need through innovative programs and partnerships. It provides meals and hope to more than 71,500 people each week. Northern Illinois Food Bank has received Charity Navigator’s 4-Star rating since 2003 for its fiscal responsibility. Ninety-seven percent of the Food Bank’s resources go to programs that feed the hungry. The Food Bank can stretch every $1 donated into $8 worth of groceries!

In July 2018 we collected $1,352 for RAICES and the ACLU. RAICES is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency that promotes justice by providing free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families, and refugees in Texas.  The ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project is dedicated to expanding and enforcing the civil liberties and civil rights of immigrants and to combating public and private discrimination against them.  Using targeted impact litigation, advocacy, and public outreach, the ACLU protects the rights and liberties of immigrants. 

In June 2018 we collected $1,390 for the Jane Adeny Memorial School for Girls in rural Kenya.  JAMS provides an education “good enough for the richest and open to the poorest.” Some of the students have parents who can pay at least some of their school fees; however, most JAMS students would not be in school if not for the support of generous donors. Some of these students are orphans, others desperately poor. By addressing the financial barriers that would normally keep girls from attending a secondary school, JAMS is answering the recommendation by the Global Campaign for Education to address financial issues to allow for greater gender equity in education.  

In May 2018 we collected $860 for The Human Library of the Fox Valley.  The Human Library of the Fox Valley is a nonprofit that engages the public in conversations about equality, diversity, and human rights, with the goals of reducing tension and violence and increasing social cohesion. Organized completely by volunteers, human libraries are events modeled after traditional libraries where visitors check out a range of titles. The difference is that ‘books’ are people, and ‘reading’ is a conversation. 

In April  2018 we collected $1,427 for the Conservation Foundation.  The Conservation Foundation is a non-profit land and river protection organization founded in 1972.  With the support of more than 3,500 members and 500 volunteers The Conservation foundation preserves and restores open space and natural lands, protects rivers and watersheds, and promotes stewardship of the environment in DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties.  Learn more at http://www.theconservationfoundation.org/ .

In March 2018 we collected $1,023 for Youth Outlook, which is the first social service agency in Illinois solely dedicated to the support of LGBTQ youth. They work in 6 counties in the Chicago suburbs, offering drop-in centers for youth, parent support, and community education. The newest drop-in center was reopened at UUSG this fall after a summer break and is growing along with the new centers added in additional areas this last year. UUSG has proudly supported this work for years and the outreach has grown with our help.

In February 2018 we collected $2,075 for the YRUU and Young Adult Habitat trips! Thank you for your generous giving.

In January 2018 we collected $1,388 for Bridge Communities. The mission of Bridge Communities is to transition homeless families to self-sufficiency by working with partners to provide mentoring, housing, and supportive services. Bridge Communities provides free transitional housing to 131 homeless DuPage County families each year. During the two years that each family spends in the Bridge program, they are able to save money, learn budgeting skills, and obtain better employment, so they can live self-sufficiently once they graduate.

In December 2017 we collected $1,222 for the "Make a Difference"/MAD Fund, $1,000 for the Humanitarian Service Project (HSP) Senior Gift Bags, $400 for the Literacy Volunteers of Fox Valley Trivia Bee, and also provided funds to two YRUU Habitat for Humanity Families. 

In November 2017 we collected $1,449 for the St. Charles organization called “Be A Hero To A Hero.” They provide up to 800 Christmas stockings filled with socks, a t-shirt, and toiletries for disabled and infirm vets at the big VA nursing home in Manteo, various nursing homes in Geneva and St. Charles, and many homebound vets in our area.

In October 2017 we collected $1,170 for Mutual Ground. Mutual Ground Shelter provides services in Kane and Kendall Counties for Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. They provide shelter and services to approximately 1500 women and children each year. Their goal is to empower victims to make their own decisions when provided support, encouragement, and information. Their work has been severely hampered by deep budget cuts from the State of Illinois. 

In September 2017 we collected $975 for Lazarus House in St. Charles.  Lazarus House provides safe shelter, food and a range of support services for men, women and children in need of help in St Charles, Geneva, Batavia and Western Kane county.  In addition to shelter and food, Lazarus provides case management that helps people identify benefits that they are eligible to receive from other social service agencies in our area that offer support for employment, food pantries, low income housing, medical care, mental health counseling, addiction counseling and more.

In August 2017 we collected $570.00 for the Northern Illinois Food Bank. The NIFB provides nutritious meals to those in need through innovative programs and partnerships.  It provides meals and hope to more than 71,500 people each week.  Northern Illinois Food Bank has received Charity Navigator’s 4-Star rating since 2003 for its fiscal responsibility. Ninety-seven percent of the Food Bank’s resources go to programs that feed the hungry. The Food Bank can stretch every $1 donated into $8 worth of groceries!  Through support such as ours, the NIFB was able to provide a record 65,000,000 meals in Fiscal Year 2017. 

In July 2017 we collected $1,050 for Re-Member and Pottawatomie Habitat for Humanity. Re-Member is a nonprofit organization which works with the Oglala Lakota Nation on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota to improve the quality of reservation life through relationships, shared resources, and volunteer services. Each year Re-Member welcomes 1,200 volunteers of all ages and backgrounds to the Pine Ridge Reservation for week-long work projects with a strong emphasis on cultural immersion. Working with the Re-Member staff, volunteers complete various projects across the Reservation, while learning about the culture and history of the Lakota people. Pottawatomie Habitat for Humanity is an affiliate of the world-wide organization bringing people together to build homes, communities & hope. The vision of H4H is a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Through shelter we empower! H4H partners with people all over the world to help them build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. With our support, Habitat homeowners achieve the strength, stability, & independence they need to build a better life for themselves and for their families.

In June 2017, we collected $1,001.00 for Jane Adeny Memorial Secondary School (JAMS) for girls in rural Kenya.

In May 2017, we collected $621.00 for The Human Library. The Human Library of the Fox Valley has partnered with local volunteers from traditionally marginalized groups, human ‘books,’ to create safe, free opportunities for ‘readers’ to better understand those with whom they share their communities, during 1:1 conversations lasting up to 30 minutes. We’re challenging prejudice, one conversation at a time. Learn more at humanlibraryofthefoxvalley.org/

In April 2017, we collected $1,116.40 for The Conservation Foundation’s work in Kane County to increase individual and group conservation actions with emphasis in the Fox River corridor. TCF also supports the land preservation needs of Kane County park districts and the Forest Preserve, as needed. See theconservationfoundation.org.

In March 2017, we collected $1,143.00 for Youth Outlook which is the only agency in the DuPage, Kane, and DeKalb counties of Illinois dedicated solely to serving LGBTQ youth. In order to accomplish its mission, it provides wellness education on a variety of topics, leadership development, and social space. It also conducts community education programs in order to change the social atmosphere that imperils LGBTQ youth in the first place. Youth Outlook has four drop-in centers, one each in Naperville, DeKalb, Aurora, and here at UUSG for the tri-cities. Groups meet every week, and provide a safe social setting for youth to meet other LGBTQ teens and talk about a variety of topics.

In February 2017, we collected $1,762.00 for our church's active involvement with Habitat for Humanity.  Our church has supported Habitat for Humanity for many years.  At present, we have two groups that travel to out-of-state locations to work on H4H houses.  In 2017, the Young Adult group will travel to Iowa in June and the YRUU will travel to Minnesota in July.  The donations will be used to support the trips and as contributions to the local chapters with which we work. 

In January 2017, we collected $1,184.50 for Bridge Communities.  The mission of Bridge Communities is to transition homeless families to self-sufficiency by working with partners to provide mentoring, housing, and supportive services. Bridge Communities provides free transitional housing to 131 homeless DuPage County families each year. During the two years that each family spends in the Bridge program, they are able to save money, learn budgeting skills, and obtain better employment, so they can live self-sufficiently once they graduate.

In December 2016, we collected $1,761 for our Holiday Light Fund, which goes to Elba's Kids and our Habitat for Humanity families. Our Christmas Eve Collection raised $2,330 for the Make a Difference Fund, and $805 for the HSP Senior Gift Bag Project. 

In November, we collected $886 for Be A Hero To A Hero and $793 for the Illinois Youth Center. Be A Hero To A Hero provides up to 800 Christmas stockings filled with socks, a t-shirt, and toiletries for disabled and infirm vets at the VA nursing home in Manteo, various nursing homes in Geneva and St. Charles, and also many homebound vets in our area. The BOW collection on November 20th and 27th funded gift bags for all 150 of the young men at IYC and a party for 30 of these young men who are most in need of visitors.

In October 2016, we collected $1,006 for the Humanitarian Service Project.

In September 2016, we collected $1,170 for Lazarus House. Lazarus House is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization serving persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. 

In August 2016, we collected $925 for the Northern Illinois Food Bank. NIFB is the source of nutritious food, innovative feeding programs, and hope for more than 71,000 people each week. NIFB is a nonprofit organization with a goal of solving hunger in their 13-county service area, NIFB relies on community partners like UUSG to contribute the time and money needed to see that no one goes hungry in northern Illinois. Please contribute and contact Kevin Beyer at foodbankleader@uusg.org if you would like to join our monthly NIFB volunteer team.   

In July 2016, we collected $1,212 for the local Pottawatomie Habitat for Humanity. Pottawatomie completed its first home in 1997 and has completed a total of thirteen Habitat for Humanity homes, including their most recent project on 13th Avenue in St. Charles.  

In June 2016, we collected $706 for room, board, clothing, essentials, and tuition for Varon Amondi Abonyo, a student at the Jane Adeny Memorial Secondary School (JAMS) for girls in rural Kenya. Like many of the students there, Varon is an orphan from an impoverished family. UUSG has already contributed money to pay for her first two years at the school, and continued fundraising can assure her that she can complete her education!

In May 2016, we collected $1,020 for Mutual Ground Shelter in Aurora, as well as an assortment of baby and childcare items. Mutual Ground Shelter provides services in Kane and Kendall Counties for Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. They provide shelter and services to approximately 1500 women and children each year. Their goal is to empower victims to make their own decisions when provided support, encouragement, and information. Their work has been severely hampered by deep budget cuts from the State of Illinois. 

In April 2016, we collected over $580 for the Fox River Ecosystem Partnership (FREP), was formed by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) with the goal of preserving and protecting the natural, economic, and recreational resources of the Fox River Watershed.  The vision is to balance needs, users and resources while preserving and enhancing the health of the river. One of FREP’s goals is to designate the Fox River as part of the National Water Trails System, a single, cohesive network of recreational waterways.

In March 2016, we collected $876 for Youth Outlook, the only agency in the DuPage, Kane, and DeKalb counties of Illinois that is dedicated solely to serving LGBTQ youth. They provide wellness education, leadership development, and social space at four area drop-in centers. They are also working to change the social atmosphere that imperils LGBTQ youth in the first place.

In February 2016, we collected $1,051 for the first Young Adult Habitat for Humanity trip. which will take place May 25th-May 29th, 2016. The trip is open to members of the UUSG community ages 18-30. For this first trip, they will be traveling to Boone County Iowa to frame a house for a family of 8. They will only be taking 20 people for this first trip so if you are interested in going or would like more information, please contact Lily Phillips. We also collected for our high schooler's Habitat for Humanity trip; final amount TBA.

In January 2016, we donated $1,381.40 our partnership with the DuPage UU Church, sponsoring and mentoring a new Bridge Communities family. Kirsten is a single mother in her early 30's with a daughter Zylah, nearly 2. Kirsten has had good jobs in payroll/accounting in the past but was laid off in 2009 from a job that was very stressful and contributed to illnesses which have continued to plague her. Thanks to the $1,000/month sponsor commitment, they have moved into a Bridge apartment, and Kirsten is taking full advantage of employment resources including job readiness classes, skills assessment, and wardrobe acquisition to boost her confidence in presenting herself well at job interviews. 

Thank you to everyone who contributed our collections in December 2015 and on Christmas Eve to support various social justice causes. We raised $5,319, which went to provide a happy new year to “Elba’s Kids,” the Pottawatomie Habitat for Humanity family, the Habitat family whose house was built by our YRUU youth last summer, the Humanitarian Service Project Seniors Project, and the UUSG MAD (“Make a Difference”) Fund.

In November 2015, our “Beyond Our Walls” collections, totaling $2,234.53, supported the VFW National Home for Children, a 90-year-old, 600-acre facility located in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. The facility consists of 53 buildings which include 40 "cottages" for families, an administration building, community center, library, museum, health & education building, fire barn, child care center, Scout cabin, and various other buildings. The Home helps active-duty veterans and their families, families of deployed service members, and descendants of veterans.

In August 2015, our “Beyond Our Walls” collections, totaling $519, supported the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance program (tolerance.org), which works through educators to nurture a new generation that is more accepting of difference, more engaged in social justice, and more aware of themselves as global citizens with the capacity to work together for a fairer world. In addition, we sent $807 to UU Military Ministry Great Lakes.

In July 2015, our “Beyond Our Walls” collections, totaling $1,237, supported the Jane Adeny Memorial School (JAMS) for girls in rural Kenya, which admits indigenous young women, many of whom are orphans, and some of whom have been rescued from experiencing female genital mutilation and marriage before the age of 10.