Factoids from IMPACT
The TJMC-UU community has demonstrated a deep and abiding commitment to taking part in and supporting area projects that help to bring about increased social justice. Under the leadership of our past Co-Minister, Leslie Takahashi Morris, our church has become increasingly involved in IMPACT which brings over 30 area congregations together each year to exert a positive and effective influence on decision-makers on behalf of our underserved and disadvantaged neighbors.
IMPACT’s successes include:
- providing increased dental care for uninsured adults;
- increasing public transportation services;
- increasing governmental focus on affordable housing;
- helping to maintain and increase public pre-Kindergarten classes for children from low-income families; and
- activating and implementing plans to provide interpretive services in the area’s justice system for people whose first language is other than English.
Many members of TJMC-UU have played important roles with IMPACT. One of our members served on the Executive Committee and led last year’s re-design of the overall issue-research process. Another served on IMPACT’s Finance Committee. Yet another conducted the bulk of the work on pre-K education on behalf of IMPACT’s Education Research Team. One TJMC person co-facilitated the successful interactions between the Education Research Team and decision-makers at both the City and County level. Last March over 60 adults and youths from TJMC turned out to support IMPACT’s cornerstone action rally at U-Hall.
This year IMPACT is focusing its attention on the inadequate public resources and therefore unmet mental health needs of many of our area residents. Once again a TJMCer is a leading voice on the IMPACT Research Team.
TJMC’s past commitment of ½ of 1% of our church budget to IMPACT has been critical. Not only have we set a strong example for our sister area churches, but we have also attracted matching grants these past two years from the Unitarian Universalist Funding Program.