Share the Plate
Since 2018, SFUU has advocated for transformative causes in our community through its Share-the-Plate program. This program aims at developing partnerships with local non-profit organizations to regularly share in receiving donations from SFUU’s Sunday offering on a month-by-month basis over the course of a year. Share the plate recipients receive 50% of all undesignated money (cash or checks) in the offering plates. The Auburn Interfaith Food Closet is always one of the recipients; the other recipients are selected annually by the Social Justice Committee. The opportunities for service that local partnerships offer us greatly benefit our church community! Click here for the Social Justice Committee’s full statement about the Share the Plate program, and click here to see the recipients by year.
Share the Plate Recipients for 2026
Auburn Interfaith Food Closet (Feb, May, Aug, Nov)
The vision of the Auburn Interfaith Food Closet is that all people in need who in our service area will have access to nutritious food. Thus, the Auburn Interfaith Food Closet uses donations to provide groceries to anyone who is food insecure and needs help, preserving their dignity and encouraging self-reliance.
Members from SFUU volunteer regularly at AIFC, and a collection box for donations is located in our Social Hall. More info here.
The Gathering Inn (Jan, Apr, Jul, Oct)
The Gathering Inn serves, individuals experiencing homelessness with the aim to welcome new beginnings and transform lives. Guests of The Gathering Inn (TGI) are not only offered meals and a safe place to sleep, but they also gain resources that equip them to move from homelessness to sustainable housing. These resources include individualized case management, resource navigation, mental health clinicians, life skills classes, addiction recovery classes, and a clothing closet.
In 2025, our Children and Your Religious Education (CYRE) program began partnering with The Gathering Inn to prepare and serve food to guests of TGI on an approximate quarterly basis. The money they collect for TGI in 2026 through the Share-the-Plate program will be used by CYRE to purchase food items that the children and youth will transform into nutritious meals, and then serve at the Gathering Inn Shelter in Auburn. Any proceeds remaining after purchase of groceries for the meals could be donated directly to the Gathering Inn.
Latino Leadership Council (Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec)
The Latino Leadership Council (LLC) is a local (Placer Country) non-profit organization operating since 2007 with the mission of advancing the well-being of Latino families. They employ paid Promotoras, a bilingual, bicultural staff, who work one on one with Latino families to navigate systems, access resources and provide advocacy and support. Among the many programs offered are: online and in person support groups (parent/child, youth, men’s group, etc,) and health access through vaccination clinics, health fairs and health education. Their mission is to foster leadership, education and advocacy on behalf of the Latino community.
The LLC receives no government funding, relying on donations and grants from individuals and organizations (such as Kaiser, Sutter Health, Placer Community Foundation, First 5 Placer, etc). Our contribution will help support existing programs and, if possible, expand services into 2 areas (senior and youth support) that the staff would like to do more for.
Share-the-Plate Recipients by Year:
2018-2019 AIFC Rainbow Hearts California Dreamers
2019-2020 AIFC Stand Up Placer SARSAS
2020-2021 AIFC Norcal Resist Sierra Streams Institute
2022 AIFC Rainbow Alliance Faithful Friends
2023 AIFC AMI Housing RAH Auburn HHC/Youth SJC
2024 AIFC Growing Peace Camp Mobile Temporary Shelter
2025 AIFC Unity for Equality CHIRP
2026 AIFC Gathering Inn Latino Leadership Council