Special Collections Nomination Form
“Churches need to create a climate in which charitable giving is the hallmark of a life well lived. Being a generous person or family is one of life’s great privileges. Creating this attitude is primary – the church’s operating budget is secondary.” – Michael Durall, The Almost Church
UUCD sponsors nine special collections during the church year from September through May. All recipients of special collections must have non-profit status. Pre-designated recipients include the UUCD WE Pantry, UUCD Ministerial Discretionary Fund, Unitarian Universalist Advocacy Network of Illinois (UUANI), Unitarian Universalist Service Committee’s (UUSC’s) annual fundraiser, and Northern Public Radio through WNIU/WNIJ. We invite nominations from our members for the four remaining special collections. Two of these are reserved for local organizations and the other two are open category, that is, local or non-local. One of these four may be substituted by an emergency relief collection if needed.
Nominations for the 2026-2027 church year are due by noon Monday, June 22, 2025.
Nominations need to identify:
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Your name and contact information
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The organization you are nominating
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The website URL or other contact information for the organization nominated
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A description of its mission and primary activities
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A brief statement that explains how you think the organization exemplifies UU principles or values.
To submit a nomination by email, send the required information to the office manager at office@uudekalb.org. To submit your nomination on-line, fill out the form below and click "Submit" at the bottom of the page.
We encourage nominations that don’t repeat the previous season’s recipients. The special collection recipients for 2025-2026 were: Safe Passage, Farmworkers & Landscaper Advocacy Project (FLAP), Barb Food Mart, and Together for Taft.
Special Collections in the recent past, who are eligible for nomination for the 2026-2027 cycle, include: Adventure Works, Building Leaders Advocating for Change (BLAC), JAMS, and Volunteer Action Committee (VAC) for 2024-2025; Emergency Collection for UU Plano, TX, DeKalb Mutual Aid, and Youth Outlook for 2023-2024; Barn on the Baseline Animal Shelter, The Nature Conservatory, and Rooted for Good for 2022-2023; Oaken Acres, Volunteer Action Committee (VAC), Adventure Works DeKalb, and DeKalb Women’s Center for 2021-2022; Family Services Agency, DeKalb County Community Gardens (Now Rooted for Good), and DeKalb Area Alano Club for 2020-2021.
Special Collections in the recent past, who would be eligible for nomination again, include DeKalb Mutual Aid, Barb Food Mart, Youth Outlook in 2023-2024, Barn on the Baseline Animal Shelter, The Nature Conservatory, DeKalb County Community Gardens, and Safe Passage in 2022-2023; Oaken Acres, VAC, Adventure Works DeKalb, and DeKalb Women’s Center in 2021-2022; Family Services Agency, Barb Food Mart, DeKalb County Community Gardens (Now Rooted for Good), and DeKalb Area Alano Club in 2020-2021.
We also encourage nominations of non-profits that would be new additions to our special collections.
If you have any questions, please contact Dorothy Coleman at dcoleman405@gmail.com.
UU Values
Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. The values we share include all the following, which we hold as inseparable and deeply interconnected:
- Interdependence: We honor the interdependent web of all existence and acknowledge our place in it.
- Pluralism: We are all sacred beings, diverse in culture, experience, and theology.
- Justice: We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all feel welcome and can thrive.
- Transformation: We adapt to the changing world.
- Generosity: We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope.
- Equity: We declare that every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion
