One of the ways we support our wider community is by giving grants to organizations whose work aligns with ours. These grants are determined and administered by our Outreach committee, and support our commitment to eradicating hunger, eliminating homelessness, working for environmental justice, supporting immigrant justice in all of its forms, and laboring in solidarity for racial justice.
Since 2021, Wellington has supported over 100 organizations, including:
Albany Park Theatre Project: creating immersive theatre with an inclusive community of youth artists. (2023-2025)
American Indian Health Center: providing quality healthcare to the American Indian community and other under-served populations. (2021-2025)
Assata’s Daughters: empowering young Black women through education & mentorship. (2021)
Anakbayan-USA: engaging Filipino youth and students dedicated to advancing national democracy. (2025)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice (IJTF): working to bring together the Asian American community and empower them to create change in their communities. (2022)
Basmeh & Zeitooneh: providing refugee relief for Turkey and Syria. (2023)
Books for Africa: founded to end the book famine in Africa, Books for Africa collects, sorts, and ships books, computers, tablets, and library enhancement materials to every country in Africa. (2022)
Brave Space Alliance: an LGBTQ+ focused community center providing education, mutual aid, resource sharing, and community sourced resources to build a more just and liberated world. (2024)
Bread for World: educating and equipping people to advocate for policies and programs to end world hunger. (2024-2025)
Bring Chicago Home: building coalition to create solutions for homelessness in Chicago. (2024)
BUILD Chicago: focusing on gang intervention, violence prevention, and youth development on Chicago’s West Side. (2024)
Carl Williams: a commissary fund for one of our congregation members. (2023-2025)
Catatumbo Cooperative Farm: an immigrant, queer, gender non-conforming, workers’ cooperative farm located in South Chicago. (2022)
Center for Food Equity in Medicine: providing quality food and compassionate support to individuals with life-altering conditions. (2024)
Changing the Conversation Together: building a national corps of canvassers to grow an electorate focused on compassion and inclusion. (2024)
Chicago Black Voter Project: organizing Black voters in Chicago to work towards equity and meaningful political change. (2025)
Chicago Peacemaker Teams: building partnerships across the globe to transform violence and oppression. (2024)
Chicago Recovery Alliance: working in addiction treatment, healthcare, education, and law. (2023)
Chicago Torture Justice Center (Survivor Repair Fund): this mutual aid fund to support survivors of police violence and their families. (2022)
Children’s Legal Center (IJTF): provides free immigration legal services to children and families with children including refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors, and victims of human trafficking and domestic violence. (2022)
Circles & Ciphers: practicing social justice through hip-hop by and for youth impacted by violence. (2023)
Commissary Funds for two incarcerated individuals: supplemented congregational special offering with funds from Outreach budget (2022)
Community Counseling Centers of Chicago – STARS (Sexual Trauma Awareness Recovery Services): focuses on counseling services driven to rekindle hope and healing for individuals to become the best versions of themselves. (2022)
Concern America: empowering community members to use their collective knowledge and experience to become their own health care providers, engineers, teachers, and cooperative business members. (2024)
Crossroads: supporting Chicago community organizations working on issues of racial, social, and economic justice. (2025)
Deborah’s Place: supporting homeless women in Chicago through housing support and social services. (2022-2025)
Dissenters: organizing American youth to reclaim resources from the war industry and reinvest in life-giving institutions, the environment, and build relationships with people around the world. (2024)
Eco-Justice Collaborative: creating solutions for issues linked through environmental, economic, and social justice. (2022, 2024)
Englewood Village Farm: A network of Chicagoland farms led by a collective of Black and Brown farmers (part of the non-profit Grow Greater Englewood). (2024)
Equity and Transformation: purposed to build social and economic equity for Black workers engaged in the informal economy. (2022)
EveryMom Chicago: connecting expectant mothers and families in underserved communities with material support and resources for early parenthood. (2024-2025)
Fenn’s at Feitshans (FAF) Mentoring Program: an afterschool youth program dedicated to serving the underprivileged. (2022)
Fresh Supply: establishing justice-centered projects and educational programs to foster intergenerational change in emerging communities. (2025)
Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries: creates faith-based programming addressing many issues. (2021, 2022)
Growing Home: facilitating agricultural training in Englewood. (2021)
Heartland Alliance – The Marjorie Kovler Center (IJTF): dedicated to providing survivors of torture with opportunities to heal, access justice, and rebuild their lives with dignity. (2022)
Hello Baby: a free play center in Woodlawn. (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025)
Immigrant Justice Task Force: Wellington’s social justice wing, focusing on support for immigrant families, especially asylum seekers and those fighting deportation cases. (2025)
Investigative Project on Race & Equity: training journalists in data-driven reporting to uncover systemic racism. (2024)
Jane Addams Senior Caucus: a multiracial, grassroots organization led by seniors in the Chicagoland area that work towards a world where all seniors can age with dignity and safety, free of ageism, racism, and other forms of oppression. (2022, 2024)
Latino Union of Chicago (IJTF): collaborates with low-income immigrant and U.S.-born workers to develop the tools necessary to collectively improve social and economic conditions. (2022)
Liberate 46: providing mutual aid to Chicago’s 46th ward. (2025)
Little Village Environmental Justice Organization: an environmental/social justice organization in Little Village. (2021)
Middle East Children’s Alliance (IJTF): works to protect the rights and improve the lives of children in the Middle East through aid, empowerment and education. (2022)
Midwest Action Coalition: supports the believe that everyone should have access to safe, free, legal abortions wherever they live. (2022)
Midwest Immigration Bond Fund: Paying bonds for residents and detainees in the Midwest. (2025)
Mijente (IJTF): serves as a political home for Latinx and Chicanx people who seek racial, economic, gender and climate justice. (2021-2025)
No More Deaths (IJTF): seeks to end death and suffering in the Mexico–US borderlands through civil initiative: people of conscience working openly and in community to uphold fundamental human rights. (2022)
North Side Housing: Creating permanent, sustainable solutions for homelessness in Chicago. (2021-2025)
Nourishing Hope: provides food, mental wellness counseling and other social services, such as job and housing assistance, to our Chicago neighbors in need. (2022, 2025)
Openlands: Conserving nature in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. (2025)
Orange Tent Project: Providing shelters and food support for the homeless in Chicago. (2025)
Paving the Way Project: creating community-based outreach programs for violence prevention and intervention in Chicago. (2024-2025)
Pembroke Environmental Justice Coalition: Environmental justice. (2022)
People for Community Recovery: driven to enhance the quality of life of residents living in communities affected by environmental pollution. (2022)
Wellington Outreach Committee: Cook & Carry: Meals for the homeless.
Racial Equity Group: Providing advisory services to public and private sector organizations on racial equity, diversity, and inclusion trainings. (2025)
Reform for Illinois: leads the charge for a more equitable and ethical Illinois government by addressing the role of money in politics, reducing public corruption, and empowering voters with fair, accessible elections. (2022, 2024, 2025)
RefugeeOne: Afghan refugees (2021)
Ronnieman Foundation: Social & racial justice. (2022)
Sarah’s Circle: providing housing, life necessities, and supportive services to homeless women in Chicago. (2021-2025)
Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs – The Final Five Campaign: invests in a community of currently and formerly incarcerated youth to lead a movement that calls on Illinois to close down the five youth prisons, fund community-directed resources & responses to harm, and ultimately end youth incarceration. (2022)
South Chicago Christian Center: Racial justice. (2022)
South Side Together Organizing for Power, NotMeWe: focused on advancing economic and social human rights by organizing and developing leadership among people most affected by economic and racial oppression. (2022, 2025)
Northeastern Illinois University – Stateville Speaks: a newsletter written by and for incarcerated individuals, their families, those working in the correctional system and other interested citizens. (2022)
The People’s Music School: focuses on giving opportunities for all children to have access to the unique social, emotional, intellectual benefits achieved through musical excellence. (2022)
UCC Appeal – IL Conference: initiative to pay off medical debt (2021)
UCC Appeal – National: Haitian Relief from earthquake and storm (2022)
Ujimaa Medics: teaching emergency and community care first response skills in Black communities affected by violence. (2025)
Unitarian Universalist Prison Ministry: creating partnerships with people harmed by the prison industrial complex in Illinois. (2025)
What If? Foundation: raising awareness and resources to support critically needed programs in the Ti Plas Kazo neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (2024-2025)
Working Family Solidarity: uniting families from different socioeconomic backgrounds in Chicago to work towards equitable development. (2024-2025)
COVID Emergency Response Fund (2021-2022)
One of the ways we support our wider community is by giving grants to organizations whose work aligns with ours. These grants are determined and administered by our Outreach committee, and support our commitment to eradicating hunger, eliminating homelessness, working for environmental justice, supporting immigrant justice in all of its forms, and laboring in solidarity for racial justice.
Since 2021, Wellington has supported over 100 organizations, including:
Albany Park Theatre Project: creating immersive theatre with an inclusive community of youth artists. (2023-2025)
American Indian Health Center: providing quality healthcare to the American Indian community and other under-served populations. (2021-2025)
Assata’s Daughters: Empowering young Black women through education & mentorship. (2021)
Anakbayan-USA: Filipino youth and students dedicated to advancing national democracy. (2025)
Asian Americans Advancing Justice (IJTF): dedicated to work that brings together the Asian American community and empower them to create change in their communities. (2022)
Basmeh & Zeitooneh: providing refugee relief for Turkey and Syria. (2023)
Books for Africa: founded to end the book famine in Africa, Books for Africa collects, sorts, and ships books, computers, tablets, and library enhancement materials to every country in Africa. (2022)
Brave Space Alliance: an LGBTQ+ focused community center providing education, mutual aid, resource sharing, and community sourced resources to build a more just and liberated world. (2024)
Carl Williams: a commissary fund for one of our congregation members. (2023, 2024)
Catatumbo Cooperative Farm: an immigrant, queer, gender non-conforming, workers’ cooperative farm located in South Chicago. (2022)
Chicago Recovery Alliance: working in addiction treatment, healthcare, education, and law. (2023)
Chicago Torture Justice Center (Survivor Repair Fund): this mutual aid fund to support survivors of police violence and their families. (2022)
Children’s Legal Center (IJTF): Provides free immigration legal services to children and families with children including refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors, and victims of human trafficking and domestic violence. (2022)
Circles & Ciphers: practicing social justice through hip-hop by and for youth impacted by violence. (2023)
Commissary Funds for two incarcerated individuals: supplemented congregational special offering with funds from Outreach budget (2022)
Community Counseling Centers of Chicago – STARS (Sexual Trauma Awareness Recovery Services): focuses on counseling services driven to rekindle hope and healing for individuals to become the best versions of themselves. (2022)
Eco-Justice Collaborative: Environmental issues (2022)
Equity and Transformation: purposed to build social and economic equity for Black workers engaged in the informal economy. (2022)
Fenn’s at Feitshans (FAF) Mentoring Program: an afterschool youth program dedicated to serving the underprivileged. (2022)
Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries: creates faith-based programming addressing many issues (2021, 2022)
Growing Home: Agricultural training in Englewood (2021)
Heartland Alliance – The Marjorie Kovler Center (IJTF): dedicated to providing survivors of torture with opportunities to heal, access justice, and rebuild their lives with dignity. (2022)
Hello Baby: A free play center in Woodlawn (2021, 2022)
Jane Addams Senior Caucus: a multiracial, grassroots organization led by seniors in the Chicagoland area that work towards a world where all seniors can age with dignity and safety, free of ageism, racism, and other forms of oppression. (2022)
Latino Union of Chicago (IJTF): collaborates with low-income immigrant and U.S.-born workers to develop the tools necessary to collectively improve social and economic conditions. (2022)
LVEJO: Environmental/social justice organization in Little Village
Middle East Children’s Alliance (IJTF): works to protect the rights and improve the lives of children in the Middle East through aid, empowerment and education. (2022)
Midwest Action Coalition: supports the believe that everyone should have access to safe, free, legal abortions wherever they live. (2022)
Mijente (IJTF): serves as a political home for Latinx and Chicanx people who seek racial, economic, gender and climate justice. (2022)
No More Deaths (IJTF): seeks to end death and suffering in the Mexico–US borderlands through civil initiative: people of conscience working openly and in community to uphold fundamental human rights. (2022)
Nourishing Hope: provides food, mental wellness counseling and other social services, such as job and housing assistance, to our Chicago neighbors in need. (2022)
Pembroke Environmental Justice Coalition: Environmental justice. (2022)
People for Community Recovery: driven to enhance the quality of life of residents living in communities affected by environmental pollution. (2022)
Wellington Outreach Committee: Cook & Carry: Meals for the homeless: reimburse Jackie Rivet River and Debbie Lee
Reform for Illinois: leads the charge for a more equitable and ethical Illinois government by addressing the role of money in politics, reducing public corruption, and empowering voters with fair, accessible elections. (2022)
RefugeeOne: Afghan refugees (2021)
Ronnieman Foundation: Social & racial justice. (2022)
Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs – The Final Five Campaign: invests in a community of currently and formerly incarcerated youth to lead a movement that calls on Illinois to close down the five youth prisons, fund community-directed resources & responses to harm, and ultimately end youth incarceration. (2022)
South Chicago Christian Center: Racial justice. (2022)
South Side Together Organizing for Power, NotMeWe: focused on advancing economic and social human rights by organizing and developing leadership among people most affected by economic and racial oppression. (2022)
Northeastern Illinois University – Stateville Speaks: a newsletter written by and for incarcerated individuals, their families, those working in the correctional system and other interested citizens. It provides a creative outlet—a voice for the voiceless—for those incarcerated in Illinois, as well as to disseminate legislative and legal information. (2022)
The People’s Music School: focuses on giving opportunities for all children to have access to the unique social, emotional, intellectual benefits achieved through musical excellence. (2022)
UCC Appeal – IL Conference: initiative to pay off medical debt (2021)
UCC Appeal – National: Haitian Relief from earthquake and storm (2022)
COVID Emergency Response Fund
At the beginning of 2021, in response to the ongoing global health pandemic and its disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, we quadrupled our budgeted external giving for the year. These organizations received gifts from that special response:
360 Nation: Community organization on West Side (2021)
American Indian Health Service of Chicago, Inc.: Racial justice – American Indians (2021, 2022)
Centro Romero: DACA legal funds (2021)
Chicago Coalition for the Homeless: Advocacy for the homeless (2021)
Chicago Semester: Intern stipends – one student working at World Relief, the other tutoring & mentoring students in Garfield Park who fell behind due to virtual learning/Covid (2021)
Community Kitchen + Canteen: Preparing meals for needy throughout Chicago (2021)
CRLN – Sanctuary Working Group (IJTF): immigrant justice/immigrants’ Emergency Funds (2021, 2022)
Deborah’s Place: Women’s Shelter (2022)
Eco Women’s Institute: Racial justice – Covid PTSD (2021)
Farm-Food-Familias: BIPOC urban farms tackling hunger by creating equitable food systems, training (2021)
Franciscan House: Homelessness, Hunger (2021)
Greater Chicago Broadcast Ministries: TV Programs – info on Covid (2021, 2022)
Healthy Hot Free Meals: Free restaurant for needy in West Garfield Park (2021)
Hello Baby: Free play center in Woodlawn, help to mothers with little means (2021, 2022)
ICDI: Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants (IJTF): immigrant justice (2021)
ICIRR: IL Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (IJTF): immigrant justice (2021, 2022)
Lakeview Pantry: Food Pantry/mental health/social services (2021)
Mariposa Legal: immigrant justice (2021)
Metropolitan Tenants Organization: Prevent Homelessness (2021)
NIJC: National Immigrant Justice Center (IJTF): immigrant justice (2021)
North Side Housing and Supportive Services: Homeless issues: money was requested by them (2021)
WUCC Outreach Committee: Sleeping bags for the homeless
RefugeeOne: immigrant justice/asylum work (2021)
Sarah’s Circle: Homeless Shelter (2021, 2022)
The Common Pantry: Hunger (2021)
The Love Fridge: Free groceries in fridge near WAUCC office (2021)