Mission & Social Action (MSA) Survey Feb. 2023

Every year our church provides financial and volunteer support for organizations in our community whose work is in keeping with our mission priorities. Many of you give generously, take part in joint activities, and donate your time and energy to these partners.

In response to the question, “What Next?”, the MSA Committee wants to share information about the organizations and activities our church currently supports and find out what kinds of engagements and volunteer opportunities inspire your participation (without draining the spirit of your generosity).

Please take 10-15 minutes to respond to our questions. We encourage you, if so inclined, to use the comment boxes to share your thoughts.

Thank you.

The organizations below are those our church currently supports financially. Our congregation also provides some volunteer support for these organizations. More information about these organizations is included at the end of this survey

Friendship Place
Shaw Community Center
Joseph’s House
Asylum Works
Jubilee Jobs
Interfaith Power & Light
Cleveland and Woodley Park Village
Washington Interfaith Network (WIN) - new partner for 2023

There is no obligation to volunteer, but many church members and friends give a great deal of their time and talent to these organizations. Your answers to the questions below will help us understand your level of interest and availability for volunteering.

3.What kinds of volunteer activities do you prefer? (Please check all that apply.)

Working directly with those who are being served by our partner organizations, such as helping Jubilee Jobs clients with resumes or St. Paul’s Food Pantry customers with selecting their groceries

Participating in activities with fellow congregants, such as marches, benefit concerts, or art auctions

Donating to church-sponsored food, gift card, or other drives

Other (please specify)

4.Which of the following best describes how you prefer to volunteer?

Through church-organized opportunities

On your own

Both

Not at all, at this time

5.If you are comfortable doing so, please share information about your non-church-related volunteering activities.

6.How do you prefer to volunteer?

In-person

Virtually

Either/both

7.If you would be interested in volunteering this year, which of the following works best for your schedule?

Regularly scheduled activities (for example, the first Sat. every other month)

One-off activities

8.How often would you be willing and able to volunteer?

Once or twice a year

Once a quarter

More frequently

Not at all, at this time

Other (please specify)

9.Would you be interested in a joint trip with individuals from other UCC congregations to directly contribute to a community in need outside of the DMV, such as a Habitat for Humanity work trip to West Virginia?

Yes

No

Maybe

Other (please specify)

10.The Washington Interfaith Network (WIN) is a new partner organization for our church. WIN works on climate, immigrant rights, and housing justice in a non-partisan, ecumenical manner. As a WIN partner, we are invited to have a representative from our church participate in the WIN Ward 3 Housing Group. If this is something that might interest you, please provide your name and we’ll follow up.

In addition, some of WIN’s housing-related campaigns include work on converting public land to affordable housing, public housing, and Black Equity through Homeownership. If any of these are of interest to you, please provide your name and we’ll follow up.

11.Please use the space below to add any other mission and social action activities you would like CPC to offer. And let us know if/when/how you would be interested in participating.

12.If you would like to learn more about becoming a member of the Mission and Social Action Committee or about volunteer activities, please provide your name here along with your areas of interest.

These are the organizations CPC supports financially and through volunteering. After reading the descriptions, please answer a few more questions below.

Friendship Place: (https://Friendship place.org) Friendship Place provides housing services for people experiencing homelessness in the Washington, DC region. Their mission is to empower participants to rebuild their lives, find homes, get jobs, and reconnect with friends, family, and the community, permanently. In 2020, Friendship Place reportedly ended or prevented homelessness for 2,664 people through creative, customized housing solutions. Our volunteer participation has included: the Walk to End Homelessness, Winter Warmth Drives, collections of toiletry and cleaning supplies, and school backpack contributions. Bruce Grimes represents our church on the Congregation Committee.

Shaw Community Center (SCC): (www.Shaw Community.org) Shaw’s mission is to enhance the lives and expand the opportunities of Shaw residents in NW DC. As a 30-year community anchor, their multiple programs—after school care, summer camps, life skills, and meals programs—reflect their historic origins and deep commitment to the Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) families living in the Shaw neighborhood. SCC is a place these families rely upon for refuge, talk, and emotional support. Our congregation donates Thanksgiving gift cards and Christmas gifts for children supported by SCC. Serena Wiltshire is currently the Chair of the SCC Board.

Joseph’s House: (https://Joseph’s house.org) Joseph’s House offers compassionate care for homeless men and women with advanced HIV disease and terminal cancer. Opened in 1990 in response to the AIDS crisis in Washington, DC, their clinical staff, trained caregivers, and volunteers work to create a home where the values of unreserved love and friendship are practiced. Their programs of end-of-life residential respite care, supportive housing, and lifeline service aim to keep clients (called "friends") engaged in medical care and linked to the support services they need to stay well. With tenderness and care, the staff and volunteers accompany men and women as they live their final days or work to regain and maintain their health and well-being. Prior to Covid, our congregation held four art auctions, coordinated by Donald Clarke and Bruce Grimes, to benefit Joseph's House.

Asylum Works: (https.//asylumworks.org) Asylum Works empowers asylum seekers and other immigrants fleeing violence in their home countries to rebuild their lives through direct services and support. Asylum Works’ holistic services help their clients regain confidence and control over their lives so they can fully participate in the asylum process including helping them to understand and manage the effects of trauma; connect with a trusted network of immigration attorneys; provide referrals to local organizations that can offer food, clothing, and needed supplies; provide job readiness training programs to help them find jobs that are safe, legal, and meaningful. Prior to Covid, our congregation sponsored several coffee hour conversations with Asylum Works clients and a benefit concert to raise awareness and money.

Jubilee Jobs: (https://www.jubileejobs.org) Jubilee Jobs fills a critical niche in the DC community, making strides to reduce poverty by providing professional, compassionate job placement services. Since 1981, they have helped more than 27,000 individuals living in low-income housing programs to find meaningful work. Here’s how they describe their commitment: “. . .all services begin at the place of strengths and positive gifts, no matter the past or previous experiences. Our strategy is to replace the isolation of unemployment with the productivity of a job and to increase levels of a supportive community around work. CPC has participated in Saturday morning events where volunteers work directly with Jubilee Jobs clients to support their job search by helping them with resume, job applications, mock interviews, and other tasks.

Interfaith Power & Light (IPL): (https://gwipl.org) IPL is part of a network of state IPL groups across the country. Locally they work with hundreds of congregations of all faiths across DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia to build a nationwide religious response to climate change. Their programs help congregations educate congregants by incorporating environmental concerns into worship; save energy and shift other aspects of purchasing and practices to minimize environmental impact; and speak out as part of state and national advocacy efforts to protect Creation.

Cleveland and Woodley Park Village (CWPV): (https://www.cwpv.org) CWPV is a nonprofit membership organization established to create opportunities for older residents to be actively engaged, support those who need it with volunteer assistance, and create a welcoming community for people of all ages. Their volunteers provide more than 1,500 visits annually for around-the-house support, transportation, and social interaction to help seniors reduce isolation, increase independence, and enhance the purpose of life.

Washington Interfaith Network (WIN): (https://www.windc-iaf.org) WIN is a broad-based, multi-racia, multi-faith, strictly non-partisan, dues-paying membership organization, rooted in local congregations and associations. WIN is committed to training and developing neighborhood leaders, to address community issues, and to hold elected and corporate officials accountable in Washington, DC. WIN engages leaders across race, culture, income, faith, and neighborhood to initiate public action on their issues including among others, affordable housing, climate, and social justice.

14.How would you prefer to learn about these groups and other work being done by the Mission and Social Action Committee?

Coffee Hour Conversations about a particular group or issue

Guest speaker from a particular organization during worship

MSA “Fair” (with information about all the issues and groups) during Coffee Hour

Other (please specify)

Thank you for participating in this survey. Your input will be invaluable in determining what’s next for our church’s mission and social action programs in the coming year.