MLK Day of Community Service with RJTF

 

The Racial Justice Task Force (RJTF) at UUCP is teaming up with La Convivencia to host a community service event on January 20, 2020 – the Martin Luther King Holiday. It will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Hightstown (187 Stockton St.) from 10 am to 12 Noon. The service project benefits RISE, a community service partnership headquartered in Hightstown. RISE provides a thrift store, resale furniture outlet, and food pantry as well as counseling and case management services. See www.njrise.org.

The morning has two components. Personal care items are being collected both before the day and at the event. These include shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and toothbrushes, lotion, soap, deodorant, diapers and wipes, etc. The supplies will be sorted and prepared for RISE. There will be other activities as well. The second component is a panel discussion by leaders from three faith groups: Christian, Muslim and Hindu. They will speak on the theme, “Love that Transforms in an Age of Divisions,” and answer questions.

High school youth can receive documentation of community service hours at the event. If you want to help with preparations for the event or on the day of, please contact
Sharon.copeland@gmail.com. Watch for a weekend in January to donate products when you come to UUCP to worship—and at other drop off sites. And, if you want to participate at the event on January 20, please go to La Convivencia’s website and register through Eventbrite.

La Convivencia means co-existence. It was created four years ago by Tasneem Sultan to build trust across cultures and faiths through community service, civic engagement and community dialogue. Annually, it hosts various service projects and discussions, for both youth and adults to create connections among people and break down stereotypes. For more information, go to www.laconvivencia.org. ~Sharon