Happy Halloween!
Thanks for coming to our halloween party last night, if you were able to make it. There are a lot of things going on at the church this month, including the auction, so we hope we will see you there.
In addition to the many opportunities for service through SMUUCh, Quarterlife Quorum is a place for people to volunteer together in the wider community.
As previously mentioned here, we can schedule a Sunday afternoon to volunteer with Harvester's Community Food Network.
But, I also have another volunteer opportunity/option for us as a group. Let me tell you the back story.
Ian and I have a motorscooter. A few weeks ago, we hit an oil slick and were in a pretty bad accident. We slid almost 30 feet into the middle of the intersection of Rainbow and Southwest Blvd. Ian was scabbed from top to bottom, and I strained my left elbow, and the kickstand from the bike landed on my left leg, leaving a pretty hideous bruise.
In the midst of our confusion and panic, three individuals appeared out of nowhere and helped us by keeping us safe from traffic in the intersection, securing our bike, and they led us to a safe place to get water, use a phone, and ice our bruises.
That place was Family Health Care at the corner of Rainbow and Southwest Blvd. It turns out they had seen the whole wipeout from the office. As I talked with Priscilla, one of the employees who came to our aid, she revealed that their clinic is the largest in the area that specifically serves HIV-positive clients, and deals with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender patients as well, since many doctors won't see them. They aren't just a health clinic but offer all sorts of classes, therapy, nutrition and fitness counseling, etc. They have literacy classes and diabetes management classes. They also serve poor and uninsured patients. They are a 501(c) organization and all their staff, from the doctors, to the secretaries, all receive the same hourly wage.
They serve over 25,000 patients. That's not a typo. I don't mean 2500. I mean 25,000.
She let me know that they always need volunteers. From stuffing envelopes and filing, to more sophisticated needs, they always can use extra hands on deck.
I thought this sounded like an organization very in-line with UU values. I am involved with the Welcoming Congregation initiative at SMUUCh, and the UUA has a long history of doing anti-oppression work in this field.
If you think this organization is one which you would like to see Q2 volunteer with, let me know. Maybe sometime in the spring we could volunteer in their office on a Sunday afternoon. They always have projects for volunteers!
best,
EBeth
posted by Unknown @ 2:57 PM
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