The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis
The Democracy Action Team will be watching the town hall with Rep. Hoyle at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, October 7 in the UUFC Library. The town hall will be followed by the regularly-scheduled Speaking of Democracy discussion at 6:30 PM, which will be about Digital Safety.
Our Outreach offerings in October support South Corvallis Food Bank, which is a shopping-style food pantry offering a 5-day supply of food to households every other week. Partnered with Linn-Benton Food Share & Oregon Food Bank, the Food Bank strives to increase food-security in our community through compassionate care.
Join us on Saturday, October 18 at 12 PM at the Benton County Courthouse for the No Kings protest!
A little worried about recent developments? What we know is that the only way out of this slide to dictatorship is for everyone to get involved. THAT is what has stopped a tyrant. And only that. No one else is going to save us, as much as we watch and hope things will change. So WE must make the 18th the largest protest ever on the planet. So each ONE bring ONE (or ten) to the October 18th protest.
For more information and resources, visit https://www.nokings.org/.
Members of the Democracy Action Team are collaborating with Benton County Indivisible and Standing Up for Racial Justice to place signs of solidarity supporting immigrants around Corvallis. If you would like to join this effort, contact Karen J. Or you can print out your own copies of the posters and take them to local businesses! You can find the digital poster files here: https://brandfolder.com/indivisibleproject/signs-of-solidarity.
The Statewide UU Advocacy organization, Oregon UU Voices for Justice is sponsoring weekly online gatherings for UUs to meet to share and learn about actions that each of us can take to save our Democracy. Beginning Sept. 16, we will gather on zoom each week on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 PM. There will be time to acknowledge what we are experiencing in the moment and also to get resources and information about topics concerning our current moment of democratic backsliding.
Email Robin Lancaster for the link or join the Democracy Action Team in person for a watch party in the Fellowship Library. We will continue to learn and listen about how our Fellow UU Congregations are responding to this difficult moment in American civic life.
Sept. 16 The UUA Action of Immediate Witness: Faithful Defiance of Authoritarianism
Sept. 23 Characteristics of Successful Pro-Democracy Movements
Sept. 30 Boycotts and Economic resistance
Oct 7 Digital Safety
Oct. 14 Mis and Dis information
Oct. 21 Advocacy
The Secure Housing and Food for All team meets on September 21 in Room 7 @ 11:30 AM.
We’ll discuss what is happening for unhoused folks. Join us to share what you know, ask questions and determine how you/we can support the unhoused in Corvallis. We’ll also have information for supporting school needs for students.
Currently the Room at The Inn at First Methodist is housing 50 men and 50 women considered most vulnerable to living outside. Volunteers are needed at ‘The Inn’.
In November separate night housing could open at the Men’s shelter. You can sign up online and get training for the kinds of support needed.
A small group of highly motivated UUs, spawned from the Democracy Action Team, are organizing to create the Freeway Banner Brigade. We will make large banners to display on I-5 overpasses in the Albany area, following the guidance of a Washington group that has been doing this for years. We just ordered our banner-making supplies, and are looking for volunteers to join us. Participate at whatever level you’d like—organizing, banner making, or show up to help hold the sign at our bannering events. We needs lots of sign holders! With this project, a small group of people can make a big impact. For more information or to volunteer, contact Jeanne Holmes.
Our Sunday Outreach offerings in September support Jackson Street Youth Services, who offer youth a safe place to live and resources to work through crises and towards a brighter, more stable future. Founded to fill a gap in housing for homeless youth, they serve youth throughout Linn and Benton Counties. Read more about them at https://www.jacksonstreet.org/.
Consider attending the “Workers Over Billionaires” protest rally on 4th street, taking place from noon to 3 PM on September 1. Just before our Tuna Roast!
Traveling to and from the protest (and parking nearby) is an obstacle for many people. To alleviate that problem some kind people at the Fellowship are offering a shuttle service to the protest. Those who would like to use this service should show up at the UUFC parking lot to get rides to and from the front of the Corvallis Library. We will be available, as needed, to pick up at half-hour intervals, leaving UUFC at 12:00, 12:30, 1:00, 1:30, and 2:00; and doing return trips from the Library at 1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 2:30, and 3:00.
Another good option is to take advantage of the CTS buses if one of their routes runs close to your home. All routes start and stop from the Downtown Transit Center, which is just a block from 4th Street. Check their routes and schedules at: https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/cts/page/bus-routes, or plan your personal route at: https://apps.corvallisoregon.gov/cts/tripplanner.html.
For any who are interested in using the shuttle service, please contact Jack Elder by email, phone, or text, and give him your name and the times you would like get rides in both directions.
We could also use a few more volunteer drivers. With more drivers, each individual will need to drive fewer trips, and can spend more time at the protest!
Our Sunday Outreach offerings in August support Seeds for the Sol, a nonprofit, grassroots organization taking action now to remove the financial barriers to residential energy efficiency. Their neighbor-to-neighbor funding model mimics the natural cycles of planting, harvesting, and renewal, helping more households move toward net zero. This funding model addresses climate mitigation and adaptation, energy equity and outreach, and workforce development by making affordable housing more energy efficient.