Social Action Collection (SAC) History of the Process:

by Elizabeth Breeden

Back in the day, Satyendra Huja liked for only 12 groups to apply for the Social Action Collection…so we didn’t have to choose. Over the years, we developed an invitation system from our members who were involved in organizations and asked for those organizations to fill out an application describing their mission and budget.  We published the applications on our website. We voted in a meeting where those interested in the SAC heard a 2-minute presentation by each of the organizations and voted on their top choices.

We changed this process last year. We wanted to be actively engaged with the organizations through volunteer involvement. We looked at our 5-Year Mission and Vision and realized we were engaged with organizations that fulfilled the goals of our Mission, but we didn’t have anyone representing Environmental or Criminal Justice. (It was a rush job to choose those two, but we created a wonderful Social Action Fair as a result.) Traditionally, we have had three organizations who are automatically chosen: our own Food Ministry and Hospital Meal Packets and also IMPACT.

We will meet on May 31st after the service to discuss how to have a process to choose the organizations who will receive a Social Action Collection in the future.

Our Mission Statement: Should we use that as a guideline to choose organizations which fulfill our mission?
Engagement: Is our volunteer engagement an important requirement for organizations to receive our money?
Strategic: How should we invite and who should we invite?
Democratic: How should we decide?
In the fiscal year 2025-26, these are the totals for each collection so far:

UUCville Social Action Collection Schedule 2025-2026

July – City of Promise – $3885
August – Birth Sisters – $4538
September – PACEM – $4695
October – The Haven – $5182
November – Sin Barreras – $4700
December – PHAR – $4767
January – IMPACT – $2772
February – Food Pantry – $4046
March – Meal Packets – $5270
April – Blue Ridge Abortion Fund – $5294
May – Rivanna Conservation Alliance –
June – Uhuru Foundation –

Get involved with our Social Action Collection beneficiaries: email socialjustice@uucharlottesville.org