“Justice is what LOVE looks like in public.” ~ Cornel West

Serve the Community

At the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Gainesville, we help one another, we help others in our community, and we work towards righting injustice in the world. Volunteering in the broader Gainesville community is an important part of our ministry, and we are active in a wide range of programs. From addressing hunger and homelessness, to working for immigration justice, there is much we do to try and make Gainesville and the larger world a better place.

The Social Justice Circle meets most months on the third Sunday at 12:30 p.m. for anyone interested in Social Justice to share ideas and plans, and support each other’s work. For information about Social Justice activities at our Fellowship, contact Mary Bahr or Judi Oltmans at socialjusticechair@uufg.org.

Social Justice in Action at UUFG

Many individual UUFG members choose to make personal commitments to social justice work which they do with the congregation and the community. There are opportunities to participate with and support homeless shelters, food programs, immigration issues, and petition drives.

The “Share the Plate” program has been a mainstay at UUFG for many years. Initiated by one of our beloved members, Alice Primack, the Share the Plate collection raises awareness about local social justice concerns and provides congregants with an opportunity to financially support a diverse range of non-profit organizations. Our congregation chooses ten organizations per year to support through a free-will offering. All non-designated donations that Sunday will be given to the nonprofit organization.
For more information, contact the Fellowship’s office at uuoffice@uufg.org.

Our Social Justice Council facilitates volunteering in the community at two locations for our 2025-2026 congregational year. We’ll gather at the locations on a monthly basis from September 2025 through May 2026. For more information or if you’d like to help, contact Judi Oltmans at socialjusticechair@uufg.org.

Food4Kids – Upcoming UUFG Volunteer Days
350 NW 39th Ave Suite D, Gainesville, FL 32609
September 20, 2025 10:00am – 12:00pm
November 8, 2025 10:00am – 12:00pm

Grace Marketplace – Upcoming UUFG Volunteer Days
3055 NE 28th Dr, Gainesville, FL 32609
October 25, 2025 10:00am – 12:00pm
December 13, 2025 10:00am – 12:00pm

Social Justice committees engage in ongoing study and action all year long, and always welcome your input, support, and help. The Social Justice Council, Committees and Liaisons, and the Social Justice Circle facilitate the work of the congregation. The focus areas for 2025-2026 are:

Environmental Justice — Noëlle Silk and Alice Gridley
Democracy — Nancy Parkinson and Lisa Renner
Economic Justice — Pat Caren and Judi Oltmans
Immigration Justice — Alice Gridley and Mary Bahr