As part of our partnership with Connections for the Homeless we are holding a clothing drive for the clothing cupboard. Since we can’t do “Our Giving House” because we aren’t at church, we thought this offering might be a good option. We need very specific items in sizes medium, large, and extra large; there is always a demand for large sizes.  Please do not give us any other items other than those listed above. Items can be for men and women.

• Adult Winter Hats, Scarves, Gloves
• Adult Men’s Shirts
• Adult Winter Coats XL & Larger
• Adult Underwear & Socks
• Backpacks

All items must be new or gently used. If used, they must be washed. Recently Sheila Holder was able to get several nice coats for Connections from the Salvation Army. She washed them and they look like new.

If you don’t want to donate, you can make a contribution and we can buy items to fill out the offering of clothing.

Drop off dates for church are Saturday, February 20 and 27 from 1 to 3 pm at the main door. We will meet you at church and take your donations. You can also drop off at Carol Nielsen’s house, Maggie Weiss’ house or Sheila Holder’s Condo. Use the church directory for addresses. Questions: Email Carol Nielsen (carolnielsen2100@gmail.com)

Dear Ones, in a season where it might be hard to get your cheer and bearings, THERE WILL BE A MITTEN TREE. This tradition has over 3 decades of rich history at UCE and highlights the love and care of many of our members to help us all live our UU value of respect for the interdependent web of all existence in which we are a part.

In full disclosure, Mitten Tree will be a little different this year. Beyond the need to modify for safety of our congregation and our partnering communities, this is my first time taking the lead to coordinate our efforts. I have big mittens to fill and am in awe that Carol Nielsen devoted so many years of intention, relationships, and great record keeping that I have the honor to maintain.

This year, we will be partnering with 3 very special organizations to make the holiday season a little brighter:

The Rice Child & Family Center is located just down Ridge from UCE and is a safe home with wrap around services for children with post-traumatic behavioral dysregulation making traditional foster care inaccessible to them. The facility includes a medical clinic, group therapy classrooms, special education facilities, art therapy and maintains a goal of helping children return to a loving family environment. This year, we will be matched with 12 children to fulfill their holiday wish list. For security and safety, items can be purchased from an Amazon registry and sent directly to the Rice Center.

Connections for the Homeless is an organization near and dear to our UCE community. Whether through shared plate, Mitten Trees past, Our Giving House donations, or supporting affordable housing programs, Connections has and will continue to be a meaningful partnership for us. Connections supports more than 1500 people a year – preventing homelessness, sheltering those in crisis, providing advocacy services, and fostering development of job and educational skills. This year, we are looking to fulfill requests from 50 of their deserving clients.

Our third partnering organization this year is NEW. Sarah’s Circle has a proud history dating back to 1979 focused on meeting the needs of homeless women in Chicago. In December 2020, they will be opening a 38 unit Permanent Supportive Housing facility in Uptown. It is truly inspiring to see their team bring the pieces together, and we have the opportunity to make sure every new home has towels and dishes for each woman’s new home. Check out their website at https://sarahs-circle.org/ to learn more about this amazing organization.

Beginning in the second week of November, electronic “mittens” will be available for members to claim to purchase the requested items. In the meantime, please email me at bridget.wild@gmail.com or call or text if you would like to volunteer for Mitten Tree. This year, we would especially welcome people who are “Sign Up Geniuses” wishing to help set up and manage a list, “package guardians” who can receive purchased items for two of our organizations, “shuttlers” to help with delivering the collected items, and “designated shoppers” to fulfill last minute gifts.

Submitted by: Sheila Holder

We’re talking about the Evanston Emergency Overnight Shelter, sponsored by Interfaith Action. We are participants at UCE and will host people during the weeks of Feb. 25, Mar. 4, and Mar. 18, providing the night time temperature will be 15 degrees or lower.

I was curious, myself, so I took a short training in the Fall. Volunteers are needed for three time frames: set up 8-9:30pm; overnight 9:30pm-7am; cleanup 6-7am. I didn’t intend to ever do the overnight shift, but when extreme temperatures were sustained during the holiday period, I decided I’d give it a try.

This is what I found – It’s not so bad – I would do this again!  The guests (18 the night I was there) were grateful to have a safe, warm place to go, even with such strict time limits. They were respectful of the rules, each other and the volunteers. A staff member was always there – I was never alone.  I met a friendly couple, Howard and Lisa, from Beth Emet who were finishing up their set-up shift. I had a comfy armchair (a cot, if I wanted it) and a light, which was perfect, because I had brought a lot to read. I actually got several hours of sleep.

The a.m. volunteers were there before I knew it and my day got an early start and a boost from feeling useful and productive.

We will need many volunteers for all shifts during the weeks that we host. The shelter is held only if the temperature is low enough, so you may or may not be needed on a particular day. Based on my experience, I recommend this to everyone who is looking for a flexible, rewarding volunteer experience that truly makes a difference to people in our community.

The Syrian Refugee Family team would like to thank everyone who donated yarn for Fattoum’s knitting projects. You have our sincere thanks because this work gives her a great sense of purpose. We are looking for someone who would like to play chess occasionally with Mohammad. Please contact Jeanne Kerl (figkerl@gmail.com) if you are interested.

Both Mohammad and Aya got jobs this week with a catering company that makes food for Mariano’s, Whole Foods, etc. Aya and Mohammad also started intensive English classes at Truman College this week.

The family is accomplishing a great deal when you consider they only arrived in the U.S. in September. The mother, Fattoum, is beginning to attend English classes through a parent program provided by the Skokie school system and their father Khaled continues English classes with Refugee One. Uday, the youngest, is doing  very well in his studies at Niles West High School. The family continues to face the many challenges of adjusting to a new culture, but they are making friends and learning quickly. The family and the volunteer team celebrated the holiday season with a party hosted by Carol and Brian Nielsen.

The family’s oldest daughter, her husband, and their young child are still living in a camp in Turkey. We hope that they will arrive in Chicago soon, despite the current climate in Washington.

We thank each one of you who have donated time, energy, rides, or money to this effort. Your generosity has made their journey much easier.

Submitted by: Jane Kenamore

We are looking forward to a visit from the Khalaf family on Sunday, October 30, at the 11 a.m. service.  As you know, UCE is co-sponsoring the Khalafs with Refugee One, a not-for-profit agency that resettles refugees.

The family is composed of parents Khaled and Fattoum;  son Mohammed, 22; daughter Aya, 18; and son Uday, 14.  The family left their home in Aleppo in 2012 and had lived in a refugee camp in Turkey before their arrival here on September 8.  Since they arrived, they’ve been settling in and have become familiar with their neighborhood in Skokie and the greater environs.

Church mentors have shown them how to get around on the El; taken them grocery shopping, shopped for winter clothing, visited the beach in Evanston; and taken them to the Art Institute, the Cultural Center, and Millennium Park.

Currently the entire family is focusing on learning English.  They attend ESL classes up to four days/week through Oakton College and Refugee One; and Lynn Kendall and Meredith Haydon are reinforcing the classes with home instruction.  The entire family is enthusiastic about learning English, so they make great students!  (No bragging, but the kids are the stars of their classes!)

Finally, a cultural note:  When you meet them in church, it’s ok for UCE women to shake hands with the men in the family.  The women in the family are not comfortable, however, with shaking hands with men they don’t know.  The common gesture in lieu of the handshake is to place your hand over your heart.