UNION CHURCH UNION CHURCHMissions Committee
Goals of the Missions Committee
- to evaluate the requests for donations that come from many sources
- to review the work of organizations that receive a contribution
- to educate the congregation on their missions outreach through newsletters, bulletins, displays and speakers
- to provide an opportunity for the congregation to participate in projects which are over and above the budgeted items
- to provide speakers at the church service and other occasions to explain their programs we presently support or may wish to support
Through the Missions Committee Union Church provides food, clothing and financial support to a number of local organizations. We maintain a shelter box for which members are encouraged to donate a dollar a week which is given to one of the local shelters each month.
We also assist in supporting the following organizations:
Local Organizations
The Bill Wilson Center
Bill Wilson Center, a non-profit, community-based agency located in Santa Clara, California provides counseling and support services to youth and families. The Center's mission is to support family unity, and to assist youth in working out their own solutions to problems as they build self-esteem. The agency fulfills this mission by providing the following: professional and affordable counseling, outreach services, residential services for youth, prevention programs, information and referral services, training for professionals, and education to the community on the changing needs of youth and families.
Bill Wilson Center
3490 The Alameda
Santa Clara, CA 95050
408-243-0222 Fax: 408-246-5752
Child Advocates of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
The mission of the Child Advocate is to prevent the generational cycle of child abuse. The goal is to help abused children and youth toward a more healthy, productive and self-reliant life, as non-abusive adults. To accomplish this, they match a needy child with a trained volunteer advocate who acts on the best interest of that child and his or her family. Advocates serve children who are dependents of the court, from birth to eighteen years of age.
CONTACT of Santa Clara County
Contact's commitment to the community is to have professionally trained volunteer telephone counselors readily available at no cost. Those volunteers are compassionate, non-judgmental and confidential listeners. This twenty-four hour service provides empathy, emotional support, facilitates problem solving, affirms self-worth, evaluates alternatives, and provides phone numbers for community support services, The twenty-four hour line consists of a crisis line, parental stress line, and during the day a warm line for children home alone.
HOTLINE: (408)279-8228
Cupertino Community Services
The primary purpose of Cupertino Community Services is to coordinate resources within the community in order to provide either direct assistance, or appropriate referrals to meet the basic human service needs for the people of the greater Cupertino area. Food is dispensed from the office. Services include being responsible for the administration of the Rotating Shelter of which the church is a participant. They obtain grants and donations and hire the Program Manager who does the screening of applicants, counseling and job assistance.
Contact: (408)255-0833
Cupertino/Sunnyvale Senior Day Services
The Senior Day Services operate a day care center for the frail elderly. It's mission is to improve the well-being of the seniors and provide a respite for the care givers. Seniors are provided with individualized support and care, as well as mental and physical stimulation activities along with a hot lunch.
Contact: (408)973-0905
Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
The Second Harvest Food Bank is an organization that collects food from individuals, groups, and food industry surplus. This is distributed to qualified charities such as food pantries, and shelters for the homeless and abused. They also sponsor the Brown Bag program, in which our church participates. Volunteers form the backbone of this organization.
Friends Outside in Santa Clara County
551 Stockton Ave.
San Jose, CA 95126
(408) 295-6033
Fax (408) 295-2907Friends Outside is the link between the inmate and the outside world, providing positive and supportive help. They assist families of inmates and work closely with all professional and private agencies. Families are provided food, clothing and emergency utilities/housing costs. Youth programs as well as jail programs are valuable programs to the families and prisoners.
Contact: (408)295-6033
InnVision
InnVision is San Jose's largest provider of shelter and support services to the homeless. They manage ten different programs for men, women, women with children and the mentally ill. There is also a shelter for men, women, and women with children along with job training. Weekday support and a learning center for low income mothers and children all seek to empower their clients to become self-sufficient.
Contact: (408)292-4286
Rotating Shelter for the Homeless -- Faith in Action
Union Church is one of twelve host churches for the Cupertino-Sunnyvale Rotating Shelter. The Shelter accommodates fifteen men and one supervisor. It rotates to a different church each month. Cupertino Community Services administers the program, hires a Program Manager to screen the men and provides assistance in their job search. The Cupertino Community Services seeks funding from grants, private companies, churches and individuals. The City of Cupertino also provides funds.
The goal of the shelter is to provide an opportunity for some members of the homeless commuunity who have a good chance of reestablishing a stable life style. We believe that the churches have a unique ability to respond with warm and caring support.
Breakfast and lunch materials are supplied by the host church, and the evening meal is provided by other churches, organizations and individuals.
San Jose Family Shelter
The San Jose Family Shelter is a two hundred bed, fifty room shelter for homeless families. It provides counseling and medical assistance to enable the residents to achieve economic independence. Meals and child care are provided which now includes a Head Start program. School age children attend regular classrooms nearby. San Jose Family Shelter
1590 Las Plumas Avenue
San Jose, California 95133-1667
(408) 926-8885
(408) 254-2056 FAX
Next Door, Solutions to Domestic Violence
Next Door is a non-profit, multi-cultural agency dedicated to providing proactive and progressive
solutions to domestic violence. Serving Santa Clara County, this organization offers services
including counseling and emergency shelter to individuals and their children in abusive
relationships. Next Door is committed to reducing the incidence and recurrence of domestic
violence through education and advocacy.
24-Hora Linea De Crisis: 408-279-2962
National Hotline: 800-799-SAFE
Call 911 If You Are In Immediate DangerNational/International Organizations
Bay and Valley Habitat
Habitat is an international ecumenical Christian ministry that is dedicated to elimination of poverty housing. Building trade volunteers and other volunteers work together with the future owner of the house to build a home. It is purchased within fifteen to twenty years with no interest or profit. Building supplies are donated.
Christian Veterinarian Mission
This ministry is a fellowship of Christian veterinarians and others interested in ministry through this kind of medicine. Their mission is to fight poverty, hunger, disease and ignorance in underdeveloped countries, and to share God's love.
Heifer Project
Heifer Project provides the needy within the United States and throughout the world with farm animals which do well in their area. The first female offspring is passed on to a needy neighbor. Heifer assist in development of improved feed, water, care and raising of that animal.
New Tribes Mission
This mission is directed to those fields where no other missionary effort is being made. The goal of New Tribes is to bring the gospel of Christ and help set up self-sustaining churches.
Wycliffe Bible Translators
Wycliffe is dedicated to developing a written language for people who have none; then to translate the bible into that language. For a church to be truly indigenous it must have the bible in it's mother tongue. For the bible is God's message to all people.
Donations and Inquiries
If you would like to make a donation to one of these worthy causes through Union Church or if you would like more information about them, you may contact us via e-mail at office@unionchurch.org or otherwise contact us at
Attn: Missions Committee
Union Church of Cupertino
20900 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Cupertino, CA 95014
USA
(408)252-4478
FAX (408)252-4471
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