Service & Justice

You have been told what is good, and what the LORD requires of you:
Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God. - Micah 6:8

It is an act of charity to assist someone suffering, but it is also an act of charity to change the social conditions that caused his or her suffering. - Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, 186

Have you ever noticed how, on many trips to the grocery store, there’s so much more in the cart than things to eat?  All kinds of personal care products fill our carts, especially if you are a family with very young children.

The families that rely on the Durham Community Food Pantry (DCFP) have the very same needs. Since families that receive governmental assistance through SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Women, Infants and Children) can't use these benefits for basic personal hygiene products, they rely on the food pantry for help.

That’s why Newman is supplementing its very successful Trunk2Truck food drives (thank you again!) with a special Family Care Drive for the products young families request most often: menstrual health products, baby wipes and ointments (DCFP stocks diapers from the NC Diaper Bank - learn more about their work at ncdiapergbank.org), and versatile, easily transported baby food.

You can make your donation through the Family Care Drive Amazon Wishlist. Be sure to select the Durham Community Food Pantry as the delivery address. If you have any questions, please contact BJ at bjbrown@uncnewman.org. Thank you!

Family Care Drive Amazon Wishlist

A full report on Justice United’s April 27 meeting with Orange County’s District Attorney candidates is available on their website, ocjusticeunited.org.

Justice United’s Aff ordable Housing Task Force will be at the county commissioners May 27 meeting when property tax relief will be on the agenda.

The Mental Health Task Force is working with the El Futuro Mental Health Clinic and Spanish-speaking community members to identify specific ways to better direct state mental health dollars towards local mental health care in Spanish.

To join the work of either group, please contact Julia Sendor at julia@ocjusticeunited.org.

Questions? Want more information? Contact: BJ Brown, Pastoral Associate for Small Faith Groups and Service, at bjbrown@uncnewman.org