Arm In Arm (Formerly Crisis Ministry of Mercer County)

We are one of the 60 interfaith partners of the Arm in Arm (Formerly Crisis Ministry of Mercer County), which for more than 30 years has partnered with the community to achieve stability for neighbors in need. From its Trenton and Princeton locations, it serves people from more than 1,400 households each month through its hunger and homelessness prevention initiatives. We have a weekly collection of nonperishable food for Arm in Arm.

Arm in Arm also provides welfare-to-work training through the Harvesting Hope program and, with partner Capital Health System, bimonthly health screenings hosted in Trenton’s First Presbyterian Church.

Our congregation has a long standing tradition each November through our Thanksgiving In-gathering of filling the horn of plenty to the brim with food donations, transporting the food to Trenton, sorting, and shelving it.

UU Princeton also partners other ways with Arm in Arm. Some members volunteer regularly at the Food Store. Each Sunday our members are encouraged to donate food staples, personal care items, disposable diapers, and McCaffrey’s grocery receipts in our Crisis Ministry bin located by the front door. We join with the community in special food drives, including Valentines Day, and the annual Footprints Walk-a-Thon.

Updates on Arm in Arm’s donation needs are published weekly in Happenings included with the Sunday Order of Service

Loaves and Fishes

Loaves and Fishes is an annual congregation-wide, collaborative social justice project.  One weekend per year, volunteers from our congregation and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Washington Crossing gather together and prepare bag lunches on Friday night and on Saturday travel to Trenton to help serve hot meals to the hungry.

Outreach Grants

For more than 30 years, we have supported charitable organizations in the greater Mercer County area through annual outreach grants. These funds are raised at our annual May Spring Sale – a wonderful, community event and inter-generational congregational effort. Join us at the fair and give back to the community.

Trenton Area Soup Kitchen

The Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) is a private, non-sectarian, charitable organization that depends almost entirely on the help of volunteers and financial support from individuals, churches, local businesses, and community organizations. UU Princeton volunteers assist with the serving of meals once a month. Some of us serve at TASK as tutors.

Food Pantry Collection

Do You Know? Our church is a year-round collection site for the Crisis Ministry’s Client Choice food pantry.   Look for the tables to the right as you walk in the front doors. The Crisis Ministry is grateful all year long for your non-perishable donations!

Community Organizations

In addition to these major economic justice ministries, UU Princeton members are active in many causes and local organizations, including the Coalition for Peace Action, Meals-on-Wheels, Not In Our Town, and many others.