Current Social Action
Opportunities and Results at Emerson
Special Need: Book Drive
Jones High School was the lowest rated High School in Houston (Children at Risk annual rating of Houston schools) and consistently does not meet State expectations for student performance. In an effort to assist the school we are engaging in a book drive to provide a class set (30) of novels for the English classes. These books come from the HISD required reading list and are especially suited to the minority populations at Jones. Please remember if you shop at Amazon through the Emerson website, the Church is rebated a percentage. Please drop off any books purchased in the basket in the Gathering Space labeled BOOK DRIVE and tally your book on the list provided. Reading is fundamental to success. Thank you for helping to make reading relevant and interesting for these students.
(Click a title above to get the Amazon/Emerson rebate link for that book.)
Rebuilding Together Houston
“Raise a Hand, a Hammer, a Doughnut”
THANK YOU Housing Renovation VOLUNTEERS!
In addition to the 17 volunteers thanked last week for their donations of food and painting or carpentry skills to the Rebuilding Together House in the East End, a hearty thanks to the hard working adults and teens who gave many hours on the second Saturday, April 24: Mackenzie Hill, Deborah Landis, Jasper Snow, Ashton Walters, May Koch, Susan Berg, Eve, Bill, Kirby, and Will Myers (for delicious food as well as skills), Maria Loud, Chase Williams, Pierce and Brad Gammel, Mitchell Dawson, A Tineke Berends, Nienke and Ian Sexton, Kay Kamas, and Susan Spivey, David Bates, Kevin Crotty, Christina Keefe, and Caitlin Young.
Service Is Our Prayer --Social Action Council
2010 special collection have been set for these dates:
1-17 Emergency Collection for Haiti
2-21 Denominational Relations Committee; Balazes Scholarship
2-28 SEARCH Sandwiches
3-21 Partner Church
4-18 Earth Day UUMFE
5-16 Mothers for Clean Air
6-20 International (Partner Church) Scholarships
7-18 School Supplies (Family Services)
8-15 Local college Scholarships
9-19 Children at Risk
10-17 UNICEFF
11-21 The Gathering Place (Mental Health)
12-19 Hospitality Apartments
We would like to welcome Jonathon Watson, Ted Weisgal and Ramin Hashemi to SAC. If you want information or have questions, please contact Christel Erickson-Collins
Bring us your Box Tops! We'll turn them into CA$H for a local Title I school.
The Social Action Council has a new and nearly effortless way for you to help a local Title I school: The Box Tops for Education program donates $.10 to a designated school for every “Box Top” that is redeemed. You’ll find that familiar Box Tops logo on hundreds of General Mills, Pillsbury and Betty Crocker products. Just clip the Box Tops and bring them to our clearly marked Box Top box in The Gathering Place each Sunday.
Box Tops for Education has helped America 's schools earn over $250 million in the past 12 years. A school can earn up to $60,000 every year.
Fight Hunger. Nourish the Future. For nearly a million children and adults in Houston and southeast Texas,
hunger is a never-ending battle. Now, it’s time for Emerson to join the fight.
As you probably know, Emerson has been a long-time supporter of Interfaith Ministries and its hunger relief programs, most notably Food for Seniors. Food for Seniors provides a box of food once a month to low-income individuals who are unable to travel to food pantries for assistance. Social Action Council will continue our commitment to this program by again sponsoring a senior who had been on the Meals on Wheels waiting list. For the second year, for just $1200 (that’s $100/month), we are ensuring that this person will receive a hot, nutritious lunch every day! You can sponsor a senior on the waiting list by contacting Interfaith Ministries at www.imgh.org.
This program also needs volunteers to make Food Deliveries to Seniors in areas all over Houston every third Sunday of the month. Emersonians like Mary Jo and Jim Vague , Edna and Larry Kelly, Bob Hopkins and the Collins family participate. This is a great opportunity for families to involve their children in a hands on experiences of giving
Food Sunday
The second Sunday of each month is Food Contribution Sunday. Please bring non-perishable items to donate to the Houston Food Bank (place them in the drawers in Westwood Hall) and/or give to the Special Collection for Interfaith Ministries, the organization that dispenses the funds donated by Emerson Church to purchase the food for Food for Seniors and Food Pantries throughout the Houston area.
Last year (2009) we donated more than $7500 to Interfaith Ministries’ Food Programs and pounds of food to the Houston Food Bank. Let’s beat those totals this year. If you would like to be added to an email distribution list reminding you the Monday before Food Sunday please contact Christel Erickson-Collins
Where Does Help Come From?
The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
In January Emerson donated more than $4,000 to Haiti relief through the UUSC. We also collected for the UUSC through the guest at your table program. For more indepth information on the UUSC go to their website: http://www.uusc.org Mission Statement
UUSC advances human rights and social justice around the world, partnering with those who confront unjust power structures and mobilizing to challenge oppressive policies. Vision Statement
UUSC envisions a world free from oppression and injustice, where all can realize their full human rights. The mission of UUSC is guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), as well as Unitarian Universalist principles, which affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person.
Focus Areas Civil Liberties
UUSC strengthens individual liberties and democratic processes eroded by overreaching security measures adopted after 9/11. Economic Justice
UUSC advances workers' rights and supports living wage campaigns, addressing the impacts of globalization and privatization. Environmental Justice
UUSC promotes and defends the human right to water, particularly in communities facing water-service privatization and resource depletion. Rights in Humanitarian Crises
UUSC responds strategically to disasters, whether natural or man-made, defending the rights of marginalized and oppressed populations who are often left out of recovery efforts.
In each area, UUSC applies an analysis of race, class, and gender, recognizing the role of systemic discrimination in perpetuating injustice and human-rights violations.
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee Newswww.uusc.org
Hospitality Apartments Emersonians are long-time supporters of the Hospitality Apartments (phone:(713) 790-9120) , which provide free housing for Texas Medical Center patients and their families. In 2006, road construction in the area nearly forced the Hospitality Apartments to abandon their long-time location conveniently situated near the Texas Medical Center in Houston. However, a new and improved complex has been built on adjacent property and re-opened in February 2008. The Houston Chronicle published an excellent article in the Mar 1, 2008 Business section that describes how the Hospitality Apartments operate with a staff of volunteers and relates the stories of some of the many patients that have benefited from this service.
Click to read the main article as well as the accompanying sidebar story.
There is also a nice web site with many photos and information. To make a donation or for more information about Emerson Church’s support of this project, contact Tom Matney.
Emerson Receives Diamond Ranking For Emerson Church’s contribution to the our denomination’s Unitarian Universalist Association, www.uua.org, we have received a “diamond” ranking, which means that we have paid our full and fair share for the size of our congregation, for ten consecutive years.
Free Rooms For CharitiesEmerson contributes donations, volunteer hours and space to worthy non-profit organizations throughout the community. Member-sponsored groups, such as Mothers for Clean Air and the League of Women Voters have received free rentals. Please mention our community-friendly spaces to the charitable organizations in which you are involved. Organizers can call Karen Van Horn during business hours or click here to visit our Facility Rental Page for more information about member-sponsored free space for nonprofits.
Track Your Texas Legislature Click below to go to a site that tells all about what's going on in the Texas State Legislature. You also can find a link from there to a list of State Representatives and their e-mail addresses: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/
The Social Action Council has a new and nearly effortless way for you to help a local Title I school: The Box Tops for Education program donates $.10 to a designated school for every “Box Top” that is redeemed. You’ll find that familiar Box Tops logo on hundreds of General Mills, Pillsbury and Betty Crocker products. Just clip the Box Tops and bring them to our clearly marked Box Top box in The Gathering Place each Sunday. 
In 2006, road construction in the area nearly forced the Hospitality Apartments to abandon their long-time location conveniently situated near the Texas Medical Center in Houston. However, a new and improved complex has been built on adjacent property and re-opened in February 2008. The Houston Chronicle published an excellent article in the Mar 1, 2008 Business section that describes how the Hospitality Apartments operate with a staff of volunteers and relates the stories of some of the many patients that have benefited from this service.
Click to read