Serving the Larger Community

South Hills Interfaith Ministries

The Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills (UUCSH) is a member congregation of the South Hills Interfaith Ministries(SHIM). SHIM provides aid to South Hills residents in the form of counseling, summer camps for children, tutoring and a food pantry. In addition, it promotes interfaith and interracial understanding through its many special programs and its links to other religious and non-religious organizations. Here at UUCSH, we sponsor periodic food collections, back-to-school supply collections and the Christmas mitten tree. We have also recruited members to be after-school tutors and help at the summer camps. 

NEED

The Negro Education Emergency Drive is a scholarship fund for African-American college students. This is the seventh year that the congregation will raise $1,000 for a scholarship. The money is raised from diverse activities, many of which are sponsored by children and youth. 

Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network

The Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (PIIN), organized in 2000, is an urban-suburban grassroots network of more than 30 congregations, mosques, synagogues and religious organizations in the region. Building on our shared moral and ethical values, we use community organizing and issue advocacy to address the root causes of problems that damage our communities, and to bring about systemic change in public and corporate policies and practices. Network action is taken on issues such as civil rights, education, housing, urban sprawl, economic development, and the needs of youth.

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

The UUSC is a social justice and human rights organization founded during World War II to help refugees from Nazi oppression. Currently, the UUSC works all over the world to defend Women’s and Children’s rights, support the struggles of oppressed communities, effect disaster relief and more. The Service Committee is an affiliate of the UUA, but, in order to stay independent, receives no funding from the UUA nor any government agency. The UUSC relies on it’s individual members for financial support. Last year at Sunnyhill, we participated in Guest at Your Table (UUSC’s largest fundraiser) and sold UUSC Holiday Cards. We also provided student memberships to all families with children from pre-school through eighth grade through numerous fundraisers. http://www.uusc.org. 

The Green Sanctuary Project

The Green Sanctuary project at Sunnyhill is a program of the Seventh Principle Project, an affiliate of the UUA, which was established by the congregation to build awareness within the community of our impact upon the environment. Through educational programs, service projects, and worship we will show a connection between spiritual practice and environmental awareness. We will work to generate commitment for personal lifestyle changes, motivate community action and rectify environmental injustices. This is an ongoing process leading to Green Sanctuary status from the UUA.