Compassion is the heart of a congregation in action. We at Albany UU believe in finding ways to put our hearts into serving the greater good, and we do so through:

• Serving the needs of the larger community
• Caring for the members of our congregation
• Supporting that work with our time, talent and treasure

Making a difference in the lives of children and families here in Albany is a priority for our work. To that end, four organizations we support are:

• FOCUS Church’s Food Pantry
• Emergency Homeless Shelter
• Sheridan Preparatory Academy Elementary School
• Grass Root Givers

Within our congregation we have ways to support our members and friends:

• The sharing of joys and sorrows is an important part of being in community with each other. We want to know when we can celebrate with you or support you. To share a significant personal milestone that you would like included in the ‘Joys and Caring Corner’ in our Windows Weekly email or read aloud during our virtual service, fill out this online form.
• Caring Network: Through this group, we organize and offer support and encouragement to our members and friends during times of difficulty .
• Pastoral Care Associates: Individuals in this group offer active listening and encouragement on a one-to-one basis. You can easily find one of our Pastoral Care Associates during our Sunday morning virtual service, as they have “PCA” in front of their Zoom name.

We support a number of community efforts and organizations through donations. Some of the ways include:

• Collecting winter wear and blankets for the homeless.
• Monthly offering for the FOCUS food pantry (during the service year).
• Collecting supplies for homeless people on the street.
• Give-Away-the-Plate Sundays – when the Sunday offering is given to an organization which is in alignment with our purpose.

Through these varied paths, we support our members and friends into making a difference at Albany UU, and the larger community as well.