Helen Fogg Outreach Committee

A Force for Social Justice

The Helen Fogg Outreach Committee is composed of interested volunteers in the congregation and elects its own chair. It is supported by funding from the annual church budget and, additionally, oversees Outreach Sunday collections to benefit worthy charities and causes. The committee meets after church on the third Sunday of each month. A representative of the committee meets with the Parish Committee once per year and attends Church Council and budget setting meetings.

Our Mission

In the spirit of the words of our covenant - “to minister to each other's needs and to those of humanity” – the Helen Fogg Outreach Committee empowers the ministry of social justice and outreach at First Parish by serving as a conduit for outreach to the wider community locally, nationally and internationally.

The Helen Fogg Outreach Committee frequently coordinates efforts to reach our goals by working with and contributing to already existing social justice and outreach efforts.  Four areas of focus help to organize our work: Neighbor to Neighbor, Sustainable Development, Education and Human Rights.

Goals:

The Helen Fogg Outreach Committee reflects the values of the church in pursuing outreach to the larger community. Our goals are to:

  1. Contribute to local, national and international causes and crisis including social injustice and natural disasters

  2. Promote volunteerism within the congregation

  3. Raise awareness about worthy causes

  4. Support the work of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

In serving as a conduit to and from the parish on issues worthy of our response, we:

  1. Focus on on-going projects involving the parish (i.e.: Prison Ministry; partner church in Kadacs, Romania; Norwell Food Pantry; etc) and donations to local charities

  2. Coordinate Outreach Sunday collection where loose offering and designated checks are used for outreach to a project or organization the committee, on behalf of the congregation, deems worthy of our attention

  3. Communicate to the parish through articles in the Spire, Parish Hall visibility, and presence within the worship service to enable people to see their role in service and help them take action

  4. Communicate UUSC issues (Guest at Your Table, UUSC Action Alerts, etc) to the congregation

Committee Activities

Dementia Workshop Speaker Series: On January 29 and February 5, 2023, the Mental Health Action Team sponsored two workshops designed to educate FPN members on issues that impact people with dementia and those who help care for them.

Part one, "Become a Dementia Friend," was presented by Susan Curtin, M.S. (Norwell Council on Aging) and Tammy Murray, LICSW (Hanover Council on Aging), who taught FPN members about the global movement to change the way people think, act and talk about dementia. To learn five key messages about living with dementia, and the simple things you can do to make a difference in your community, check out the recording below.

Part two, "Dementia Diagnosis/Treatment and Caregiver Training," was presented by Joan Wright and Dr. David Fish. Dr. Fish discussed the different types of dementia, focusing on diagnosis and treatment. Joan Wright, a dementia caregiving specialist with Norwell VNA and Hospice, shared how to support caregivers and keep a loved one safe. The recording is below.

Parenting Workshop Speaker Series: On October 15 and 22, 2023, the Mental Health Action Team sponsored two workshops designed to educate the community about parenting techniques that can bring more calm and communication to families. The presenter, Linda R. Price, is a Licensed Educational Psychologist who provides individual and group counseling, social emotional learning groups, and parent consultation and workshops through her private practice, Wellness Empowerment ( www.wellnessempowerment.care ) in Scituate, MA. She specializes in working with youth coping with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, anxiety, social and executive function struggles, and learning differences.

Part one, "Peaceful Parenting," included strategies to help parents to:

  • build an authentic and compassionate relationship with their child,

  • learn how to model effective communication and thoughtful responses,

  • set boundaries using structure and routine to encourage positive behaviors,

  • devise strategies for concentration, coping skills, stress management and sleep,

  • focus on your child’s strengths, building self-esteem and decision making,

  • understand the positive impacts of mindfulness, and.

  • create a peaceful home environment.

    Part two, "Anxiety and Stress Management," took a deeper dive into

    parenting children with anxiety, and provide strategies for stress management.

Neighbor To Neighbor

First Parish of Norwell works with the following organizations to support needs at the local level.