Social Justice Ministry

UNITED RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY/ADVOCACY CENTERS
OF SOUTH BEND AND MISHAWAKA

An outgrowth of the Council of Churches of St. Joseph County, the URC was formed to gather together the best resources in the community to bring about social change and to increase harmony, understanding and respect throughout the community.  The URC has been the initiator in developing many programs that now operate independently, including:  Center for the Homeless, Dismas House, Northern Indiana Food Bank, Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation, Memorial Hospital Pastoral Care, Boys and Girls Club, On Site Prayer Ministry, Victim Impact Panel, Refugee Program, and the Advocacy Centers. 
Still operating under the umbrella of the URC the Advocacy Centers assist clients in finding resources, provide funding to obtain birth certificates for ID’s, assist in rental payments and utilities’ reconnections, make referrals to other agencies as appropriate, identify support systems, and provide encouragement.
NIPSCO has signed a contract with the Advocacy Centers to manage its Gift of Warmth program.  For each donation received by the Advocacy Centers for this program, NIPSCO will match dollar for dollar money to be used solely to assist families with heating costs from November 1st to April 1st.  Martin’s Supermarket also contributes to this program by placing red cans in each of its stores for private donations to be turned over to the Advocacy Centers.
Tax Deductible payments can be made directly to: Advocacy Center, 117 N. Lafayette, South Bend, IN 46601

Hours Volunteers are Needed:  From 9 to noon Monday, Wednesday, Friday at the Center in the back of The Episcopal Cathedral of St. James in South Bend (117 N. Lafayette Blvd) or on Tuesday and/or Thursday at St. Andrews United Church of Christ, 215 S. Union St.

Responsibilities:  Volunteers assist by interviewing clients in a caring, compassionate manner to obtain information pertinent to the client’s requests.  This may include filling out forms and applications for various states’ health departments or departments of vital statistics to apply for birth certificates for identification purposes.  These are now necessary to obtain assistance from governmental agencies.

Contact:  Marlene Nowak  288-7490 or marlene_nowak@yahoo.com

 11/2008