Unitarian Universalist Action New Hampshire

Unitarian Universalist Action New Hampshire (UU Action NH) is the state social justice organization for Unitarian Universalists and for
all who work on social justice issues. Our mission is to build a just and equitable New Hampshire for all. Unitarian Universalist beliefs are diverse and inclusive and have no shared creed. We have deeply interdependent shared values that include interdependence, pluralism, justice, transformation, generosity, and equity, and all centered around love. We declare that every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love and compassion and we commit to build and sustain fully accessible and inclusive communities. We work to be diverse, multicultural Beloved Communities where all thrive. We adapt to the changing world and aim to collectively transform
spiritually and ethically. We celebrate that we are diverse in culture, experience and theology and embrace our commonalities and differences with love, curiosity and respect. We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope and compassionately share our resources. We honor the interdependent web of all existence.

UU Action NH is an information hub for UU churches, UU Action's social justice and community partners, and anyone else in the state. UU Action's Leadership Team and Member Council collaborate to bring education and information on timely social justice issues impacting New Hampshire to all subscribers. UU Action NH also informs of UU churches and those that follow UU Action's web page and Facebook page of social justice events or actions sponsored by NH UU churches. 

UU Action collaborates  with other state social justice and community organizations on issues, such as immigration justice, climate
justice, housing justice, criminal justice, and LGBTQ+ justice. Based on UU values, UU Action NH learns about important causes and issues facing New Hampshire's vulnerable communities. UU Action then works to empower UU churches, UU voices, and the communities in which those churches exist to work on those causes and issues. UU Action NH is the link that connects all the UU churches in
NH so that each church can obtain support, collaboration, and training from UU Action NH or from other faith-based organizations or our partner organizations. For UU Action NH and the NH UU churches and their members, the work is about UU values and assisting communities to flourish because everyone deserves justice, equity, understanding, dignity, compassion, and love. 

UU Action NH is the fiscal sponsor for the NH Community Bail Fund. The Bail Fund was founded in 2018 through a collaboration between members of the UU churches of Manchester and Nashua and the Manchester NAACP. Since then, the Community Bail Fund has paid almost 1,700 bails. The Bail Fund pays bails of up to $250, or splits bails of up to $500 with friends and family of their clients. The people that the Community Bail Fund helps to get free are held pre-trial, meaning that they have not been convicted of a crime and are legally considered innocent. Often they are held on minor charges like trespassing, drug possession, or shoplifting. Being jailed, even for a short time, can disrupt their lives. Being in jail is inherently dehumanizing and traumatizing, often contributing to setbacks in mental health. The Bail Fund’s all-volunteer team works closely with public defenders, and are often able to pay a bail on the same day that the team receives the request. This helps the clients avoid losing jobs, missing medical appointments, or disrupting family responsibilities. Today, UUs from all over the state volunteer with the fund, and the Bail Fund receives crucial support from congregations and individuals within the UU faith and outside the UU faith. 

UU Action's fiscal sponsorhsip is a structured partnership that extends UU Action's legal and tax-exempt status to the NH Community Bail Fund and ehances the fund's capabilities to raise funds. The mission of the NH Community Bail Fund fits with UU Action NH's mission. UU Action NH's work is about our shared humanity.