On March 1, 2024, the United Way announced a coordinated effort with the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), the Black Refugee & Immigrant Community Coalition, and the Greater Boston YMCA among other community-based organizations, to provide temporary emergency housing and support to approximately 25 families with children who have an urgent and immediate need for shelter in Boston.

UUA Executive Vice President Carey McDonald said of the decision to join in this emergency effort, "In our faith tradition, Unitarian Universalists commit to uphold the inherent worthiness and dignity of every person, to embrace interconnectedness, and to strive for justice, equity and compassion in human relations. Those values are fundamental to our religious practice, and they call us to take action in the face of oppression, injustice and suffering.

All children deserve a safe place to sleep. As a religious community headquartered in Boston, we consider it an act of faithful witness to use our facilities to do our part to support families in need, including migrant families who are simply seeking safety for their loved ones. We hope other building owners will take seriously whether their space can also be used in this way."

This work is carried out through the United Way's SafetyNet Shelter Grant program, which is available to families who have been determined eligible for the state’s Emergency Assistance (EA) family shelter program but could not be immediately placed in an EA shelter due to a lack of availability.

Read more in the United Way of Massachusetts Bay's press release.

Read More and Take Action

• UU World takes a deeper dive into the background of how this decision came about.
• The UUA's New England Region is helping coordinate donations to the families staying at the headquarters building and elsewhere in the region.