Community Partnership
Each Sunday, we take an offering. All the cash and designated checks/credit card payments go directly to support external organizations that are doing work that reflects our UU values and our First Unitarian mission. The recipient organizations are our Change for Change partners. Each month, a different agency or group receives the donations. Anyone can nominate a group for Change for Change. Recipient groups must be non-profit. Generally, we prefer to give to groups – whether local, national, or even worldwide — for whom $1000 to $2000 will make a significant difference. The Social Justice Committee evaluates all nominees and submits recommendations to the Board, which makes the final selections.
Change for Change: Any 1UC member in good standing can submit a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 organization that is doing the work we want to be done in the world as a Change for Change recipient. The application can be found here. The Change for Change lead and Social Justice Council will then review and either accept, ask for more information, or deny. Those accepted are then recommended to the Board of Directors for a month when donations are accepted for Change for Change. For any questions, please reach out to Ivy Love.
June Change for Change 
Our Change for Change recipient for the month of June is Imani’s Village.
Imani’s Village, previously For The Village Inc., is a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing birth outcomes for mothers and babies in the Black community. We exist intentionally in response to the alarming rates of infant and maternal mortality within Black communities. Our goals are met primarily by training community doulas and by providing free doula services to Black birthing families.
Farah Antoine-Mayberry is a graduate from Howard University with a degree in Occupational Therapy. She worked as an OT in various adult and pediatric settings including the neonatal intensive care unit. Her passion for the perinatal population led her to become an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), a doula, as well a midwife’s assistant. She started her own practice in 2017, called Epiphany Birth Services, LLC and a year later founded Imani’s Village (formerly called For The Village, Inc). Farah’s vision for Imani’s Village was to be a part of an initiative that would help to develop more Black birth workers. Farah and her husband are proud parents of 6 incredible children. Imani’s Village is named after Farah’s youngest daughter whose birth team was composed of a loving, intentional, and supportive village. “Every birthing parent deserves to have Imani’s Village.”
Past recipients have included:
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- VOICE
- Manos Juntas
- The Regional Food Bank
- The Homeless Alliance
- Positive Tomorrows
- PAMBE Ghana
- Neighbor for Neighbor
- Free to Live Animal Sanctuary
- Other Options
- SISU Youth Services
- Sister BJ’s Pantry
- TEEM
- Sox of Love
- Planned Parenthood
- Black Lives Matter
- And over 100 other local, state, national and international organizations doing work that affirms and promotes the inherent worth and dignity of every person.