Special Plate Collections

Each month, our Special Plate Team designates an organization to highlight and raise money for, through a special plate collection. The team meets approximately every three months to discuss and select organizations for this monthly collection. On the first Sunday of each month, the team gives a presentation during the morning service for the selected recipient of the month. During 2024 over $19,000 was contributed.

If any church member would like to recommend an organization for a special plate collection, they may do so by contacting our Team Chair, Renee Swanson

All organizations must be registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and are selected with one or more of the following criteria considered:

  •  Local organizations that have a small enough budget that our gift makes an impact

  • Denominational organizations such as The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) or The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)

  • Organizations that match our monthly themes

  • Organizations identified by current social justice initiatives, which may include international organizations

This Month’s Special Plate Collection

February’s special plate collection is for Nottingham Nature Nook, a wildlife rehabilitation center in East Lansing, Michigan. The Nook is a nature sanctuary that fosters learning opportunities as well as offering a healing alternative with both Equine and Wildlife Therapy. Caregivers at this center accept from members of the public injured and orphaned baby wildlife, raising and eventually releasing these birds and mammals into the wild. They also care for injured adult animals, providing an invaluable service to the community by filling the gap left by services that concentrate on domestic animals. Through the Kids4Nature Program, Nottingham Nature Nook educates the public about the wildlife that is around us, encouraging people to become stewards of nature who will protect, enhance, and develop a more intimate relationship with nature. The Nook also educates the public as to when help is needed with wildlife and when it is not, and what immediate steps to take.

Nottingham Nature Nook has rehabilitated and released more than eleven thousand (11,000) animals since its humble beginnings of one person helping one animal. The center relies on the generosity of donors to provide these services.

Find out more at: Nottingham Nature Nook website, www.nottinghamnaturenook.com

A baby fox peeking out

photo courtesy of Nottingham Nature Nook

Feeding a baby chipmunk

*photo courtesy of Nottingham Nature Nook

Recent Special Plate Collections

Special Plate for January 2025

January’s Special Plate collection is for The Justice League of Greater Lansing. This organization has done an excellent job over the last few years highlighting the need for Reparations for Black Americans and the reason for the huge wealth gap between white and black Americans starting with slavery but including Jim Crow laws, redlining and the withholding of eligibility of VA Benefits. Material with more information will be at a table after several January services.

The fund that the Justice League administers comes from contributions of mostly white churches. Its spendable endowment was used this year to give 10 scholarships to local African American youth. Future plans are to help with homeownership and business startups. During a September 2024 service, a substantial amount was committed to Prince Solace, president of the League. Much of the money was from the George Thornton Peace Fund, a special donation left to our church after the death of a long time UU Lansing member. Several people from the Reparations Team also made contributions. Now is the time for the rest of us to contribute to this fund and to educate others about the reason for the wealth gap in this country.

If you would like to learn more about the Justice League of Greater Lansing, please go to www.justiceleagueglm.org