Community Plate
Each month our congregation provides support for a community partner who we believe shares our values.
A commitment to justice and equity is a core value of our congregation and one of the ways we live that commitment is through our Community Plate program. Nominations from congregants and friends highlight local organizations that provide necessary services like housing, food, and legal assistance to in-need members of our community. After our Community Plate Committee has selected a receiving organization, half of all undesignated donations are earmarked for this community partner for a one to two month period. Representatives of that organization are invited to present the work they do to our congregation, along with opportunities for volunteering and further engagement. Â about these organizations and actively volunteer in the work they do. On the first Sunday of each month, our offering is dedicated to that month’s partner. as well as all checks identified as “Community Plate” during the entire month. The Community Plate Committee of our Earth & Social Justice Ministry team recommends the agencies or projects. Is there an organization you work with that you believe would be a good fit for Community Plate? Find the nomination guidelines and form below! Â
Our Current Community Plate Recipient
December 2025-January 2026
With the generous support of members and friends, the Ministers’ Discretionary Fund (MDF) allows Revs. Audette and Claudia provide confidential financial assistance to members of the congregation who may be going through difficult times. We also rely on members and friends to alert us to folx in our UU Asheville community who may be struggling, so we can reach out – both pastorally, and with assistance as appropriate. Your support of the MDF allows us to be there for our UU Asheville family, in good times and bad.
Our Past Community Plate Recipients
January & February – Food Connection
December – MDF – Holiday Fund
October & November – Veterans Healing Farm
August & September – Swannanoa Communities Together
July – Ministers’ Discretionary Fund (MDF) & UUA Disaster Relief (for TX Floods)
June – BeLoved Asheville
April & May –RiverLink
February & March – Carolina Abortion Fund
January – Hetland Scholarship
December – Holiday Fund (MDF)
November – Reparations Stakeholder Authority of Asheville
October – Ministers’ Discretionary Fund (MDF)
August & September – Poor Peoples Campaign
July – Ministers’ Discretionary Fund (MDF)
May & June – Asheville Prison Books
March & April – Bountiful Cities
January & February – Hetland Scholarship
January & February-UU Asheville Hetland Scholarship Fund
March- Â Planned Parenthood
April- Â Carolina Abortion Fund
May- Â Pro-Choice North Carolina
June & July –  Blue Note Junction
August- Â Ministers’ Discretionary Fund
January & February-Mel Hetland Scholarship Fund
March & April-HERS (Health Education Resources)
May & June- Â CoThinkk
July- Â Ministers’ Discretionary Fund
August-November- Â BeLoved Asheville
December- Â Ministers’ Discretionary Fund
January-February  Mel Hetland Scholarship Fund
March-April- Â Youth Transformed for Life
May-June   Institute for Preventative Healthcare and Advocacy (IFPHA)
August & September- Â Solarize
October & November- Â Bountiful Cities
December- Â Ministers Discretionary Fund
January- Â Mel Hetland Scholarship Fund
February- Â Children First/Communities in Schools
March-Mountain Camp Scholarship Fund
Update on UUCA Community Plate Program
We are suspending the Community Plate collections starting in April until January 2021. We have deserving organizations that will be funded when we reconvene. Â
June –  Gentle Mothering
May – Residents Council
April –  Center  for Participatory Change
March –  Asheville Writers in the School and Community
February – The Marvelous Math Club
January-Mel Hetland Scholarship (Asheville City Schools Foundation Scholarship Program)
December- Holiday Giving for Congregants
November- United Community Development of WNC
October- Eagle Market Street Development Corporation
September -Sistas Caring for Sistas
July and August- Ministers’ Discretionary Fund
June- CoThinkk
May- My Sistah Taught Me That
April- YWCA Primary Enrichment Program
March- The Mountain Campership Fund
February- Building Bridges
January- Mel Hetland Scholarship
December-Holiday Giving Fund
November-Alternative Gift Fair
October-Dignity Period
September-The Literacy Council of Buncombe County
August & July-Ministers’ Discretionary Fund
June- Wild for Life
May- YTL-Youth Transformed for Life
April- Just Economics
March- Loving Food Resources
February- UUCA Scholarships
January- Mel Hetland Scholarship
December-Holiday Giving Fund
November-Hood Huggers International
October-Children First/Communities in Schools
September-Read to Succeed
July and August-Ministers’ Discretionary Fund
June-The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center
May-Bee City, USA
April-Asheville Greenworks
March-Hillcrest Motheread Group
February-UUCA Scholarship Fund
January-Pisgah Legal Services
December-Holiday Giving
November-MANNA FoodBank
October-Mel Hetland Scholarship & AVID/UNCA Scholarship
Programs
September-Building Bridges
July & August-Ministers’ Discretionary Fund
June-New Start (sponsored by Womansong)
May-Mountain Area Radio Reading
April-Southern Environmental Law Center
March-Asheville Prison Books
February-Asheville Humane Society
January-Mel Hetland Scholarship
December-Veterans Helping Veterans
November-Youth OUTright
October-Be Loved House
September-Guardian Ad Litem
August-Haywood Street Respite Care Center
July-The Mediation Center
June-The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center
May-Children First/Communities in Schools
April-The Sierra Club
March-Animal Haven of Asheville
February-Helpmate
January-Mel Hetland Scholarship
December-UU Relations Committee
November-Bountiful Cities
October-Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)
September-FemCare
August-Read to Succeed Asheville
July-MANNA Food Bank
June-UUCA Minister’s Discretionary Fund
May-Asheville Habitat for Humanity
April-Warrior Service Dogs
March-Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)
February-Room in the Inn (RITI)January-Mel Hetland Scholarship
December-Home Free Bagels
November-Council on Aging, Buncombe County
October-Women at Risk
September-UU Relations Committee
August-YWCA
July-National Alliance for Mental Illness
June-Minister’s Discretionary Fund
May-Habitat for Humanity
April-Asheville Sierra Club Group
March-Malawi Girls’ Hostel
February-Room in the Inn (RITI)
January-Mel Hetland Scholarship
December-Children First/Communities in Schools
November-Asheville GreenWorks
October-Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)
September-The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center
August-All Souls Counseling
July-Youth OUTright, WNC Inc.
June-Minister’s Discretionary Fund
May-Room in the Inn (RITI)
April-Canary Coalition
March-Habitat for Humanity Interfaith House
February-Homeward Bound & Hope to Home
January-Mel Hetland Scholarship
