Pledge Drive Update and Learn About FUUSN: Plant Based Eating Club

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Last Week for the Incentive Challenge (through Tuesday April 18)!
Our beloved FUUSN gets another $50 for each pledge of $100 or more (or $100 increase to an existing pledge) between now and Tuesday April 18 (as long as funds last)

Pledge at least $100 (or increase your existing pledge by $100) by pledging online by Tuesday, April 18 to unlock the additional value of the incentive for FUUSN. You can pledge here: www.fusn.org/pledge or send an email with the amount you wish to pledge to pledgedrive@fuusn.org .

Pledge Status: 167 Pledgers have pledged a total of $501,060 – we are 81% to our goal but need another $114K!

When a Steward Calls….
…answer the call! Annual Budget Drive stewards are hard at work contacting people who have not yet pledged. Answer their email or their phone call! Chat with an old friend or make a new one.

Our wonderful stewards for 2023-2024!
Jeannie Chaisson               Saul Lookner
Michael Costello                 Bruce Kimball
John Dundon                      Neil MacGaffey
Bill Dusett                           Cathy Morocco
Todd Farrell                        Jacki Rohan
Allyson Gray                       Linda Ross
Brian Hicks                         Kit Ryan
Bill Horne                            Wendy Schwartz
Jonathan Lilienfeld

Community Engagement Survey – Quote of the week: “ I participate only on Sunday through Zoom as I live out of state- but I so appreciate the services – a God send during COVID especially”
• Did you know that FUUSN has an ever-growing virtual community? Zoom services and events have helped maintain the engagement of half a dozen members who have moved away and the Plant Based  • Eating Club has attracted an additional 6 people with its virtual programming!
• 108 people have taken the survey
Have you done your survey yet? It takes only 5 minutes! Community Engagement Survey (google.com)

Learn about FUUSN! Today’s spotlight: Plant-Based Eating Club (PBEC)

The UU Plant-Based Eating Club has over 70 people on their email list and they welcome those who are aligned with UU values and desire to learn about and eat nutritious and delicious plant-based, whole food meals. Because they are so welcoming (you don’t have to be vegan, simply curious about veganism), the group which started over 4 years ago has grown rapidly.

Steering Committee breakfast – of course they are eating….

PBEC has quickly become a fixture at FUUSN.  They provide vegan options for some community breakfasts and other events at FUUSN.  With so many people participating in PBEC, many FUUSN events with food now offer vegan options (even pledge parties!)

Oatmeal bar and sampling tables at FUUSN Community Breakfasts

What the PBEC does:

  • Potlucks – The group gathers about once a month for a plant-based meal, each person bringing the recipe of the plant-based dish they prepared

Various potlucks – the food is really very, very good. “This is vegan?”

• Educate – The club reads books, watches movies and then discusses them, they have farm tours and forums, all so that people can learn more about what it is to eat a plant-based diet, and why vegans eat that way.

Cooking Classes!

 

A few of the many resources recently discussed by the club

 

Information tables at FUUSN coffee hour

  • Explore and connect – PBEC looks outside FUUSN in excursions to vegan restaurants, food conferences, and provides links to organizations/blogs focused on vegan eating.  

Trip to a vegan restaurant in 2022

  • Socialize – The group is amazingly supportive of “newbies” and those who want to learn more as they get to know each other and share information, and there are lots of opportunities to connect.
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  • Lots and lots of potlucks and other opportunities to connect! Newcomers bring drinks

  • Support – Unlike most other vegan groups, PBEC provides a judgment-free atmosphere in which participants can explore eating more plant-based food with no expectation that they will adopt a vegan diet. PBEC was founded on the principle that taking even small steps to reduce the consumption of animal products is worthwhile, for our planet and ourselves, and that each person deserves to be supported in their decision to move towards more plant-based eating in whatever way is comfortable for them.

Why do vegans (or vegan curious) eat the way they do?

JOIN US!  If you would like to attend a PBEC potluck on Sunday April 23rd, please reserve a spot by emailing uu-plant-based-contact-us@googlegroups.com.   If you’re new to plant-based eating, don’t worry!  You can bring drinks or a green salad to the potluck.

For more information: Send an email to uu-plant-based-contact-us@googlegroups.com to join the email list, get more information, and/or sign up for an event.  The PBEC does a great job maintaining the website where you will find the most up-to-date info on events: UU Plant-Based Eating Club – First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton (fusn.org) 

None of FUUSN’s wonderful PBEC happens without your time, talent and treasure!   Fill out the Community Engagement Survey and Pledge here:   www.fusn.org/2023-annual-pledge-drive/

Reach out to us at pledgedrive@fuusn.org if you experience any difficulty.