Greater Good Project
What is the Greater Good Project?
It's an all-church community endeavor, to bring meaning back to the holidays and tap into the strength and power of the spirit of the season. Each of us is asked to tally what we spend on the holiday season from: presents, wrappings, trimmings, travel, food and entertainment. Then take that number and cut it in half, and contribute that to a project at the church - a gift to the Greater Good. In 2006 we collected $79,000, and in 2007 $72,500, from members and friends of the church and members of the larger community. These contributions remind us of needs greater than our own and sure made "living simply so others can simply live" worth the effort and small sacrifice! You can view information on the projects funded for 2006 and 2007 using the menu at right.
This holiday season, we encourage you to live simply so that others may simply live. Checks may be sent to the church office and should be made payable to the First Unitarian Church, with "Greater Good" on the memo line.
Greater Good Project 2008
Watch the 2008 Greater Good video
Local Project: The Center for Youth
The Center for Youth provides a variety of programs and services to youth who voluntarily seek their help. Most are victims of unfortunate family circumstances. Many have nowhere else to turn.
The main focus of our gift will focus on the emergency and crisis needs of youth, making it possible for them to sustain themselves, to be safe and healthy, to connect with educational services, and to make certain that they have their basic needs met. Dollars would be spent on items such as the following:
- Medical and personal hygiene items
- Clothing
- Food
- Books and school supplies
- Bus passes and other transportation needs
- Financial support to complete GED programs
- Emergency child care (yes, some of these youth have children of their own)
- Job training skills
As funds allow, they may also be used:
- To help older youth in need of establishing an independent residence through the Transitional Living Program
- To provide dollar-for-dollar matching in savings account funds for newly independent youth and young adults
- To link youth to career opportunities and higher education
- To create a Youth Leadership Team at The Center for Youth
International Project: Honduras
Once again, The Greater Good Project will direct the international portion of our collection to the Honduras Project, specifically to support the Middle School Scholarship Fund.
Most children in Honduras only attend school through fifth grade. Although school itself is free in Honduras, most families are unable to pay the costs for books, supplies, and uniforms - and in some cases, for room and board - that would enable their child to go beyond a fifth-grade education. A scholarship of $300-800 pays these expenses for one child to attend school for one year. Our donation will help several dozen children complete three additional years of schooling. The Honduras Task Force has set up an application process and criteria for selecting scholarship recipients and has distributed information about scholarships in the Honduras villages.
Exploring the Relationship Between Meaning and Money: Resources
- Life Now Radio Show: "Should I Shop 'til I Drop?"
- Speaking of Faith Radio Show: "Money & Moral Balance"
- Sons and Material Girls: How Not to Be Your Child's ATM, a book by Nathan Dungan
- Money and the Meaning of Life, a book by Jacob Neeldeman
June 4 2009