Social Action Committee
Opportunities for Service

Social Action film series
We present a documentary on the second Saturday of each month.  After the film we have a time for questions and comments with an "expert" followed by conversation and refreshments.  Topics have included water privatization issues, healthy eating, PTSD, immigration, fracking and drilling gas wells, health care, and environmental issues. Opportunities available:  Help select films, take flyers to promote the film each month, prepare refreshments, and cleaning up

West Shore Vegetarian Group
As a result of the interest generated from documentaries on healthy eating shown at the film series we created the Vegetarian Group.  We are currently in a transition period but plan on meeting monthly.  Some of our meetings are potlucks and conversation, sometimes we have speakers or films followed by discussion. Opportunities available:  Plan events, promote events, present information about healthy eating.

Magazine Sale
The first Sunday of each month, October through June, church members are invited to bring gently read magazines to the tables outside Baker Hall.  The magazines are placed on tables, alphabetically by title, and the sold for the low price of 3 for $1.  Magazines that are remaining are labeled with information about West Shore Church and some are taken to prisons for inmates to read, some are taken to waiting rooms at hospitals and medical centers, and some are taken to senior centers.  This is a great way to recycle magazines, help fund projects of the social action committee, and provide a service to prisons and community groups.  Opportunities available:  Help sort magazines, help sell magazines, help label and pack up magazines.

Speakers
We attempt to have a speakers several times during the year. Opportunities available:  Help find quality speakers, promote speakers, prepare refreshments, clean up.

Helping the Hungry
Volunteers go to the Foodbank on the second Thursday and the fourth Wednesday from 10:00 to noon.  At the Foodbank we sort and pack food for distribution to food pantries. 

Each Sunday everyone is encouraged to bring one food item to church to be placed at the social action table in the rotunda.  Each month we select one local food pantry to receive all the food that is donated.  We have given food to Providence House, Nueva Luz, Community Corner, Lakewood Christian Center,  St. Paul's, Procop House, and Urban Hope. Opportunities available: Volunteer at the Foodbank.  Help promote the regular food collection at West Shore, pack up the food, make deliveries to local food pantries.

Uniforms for students in Cleveland Schools
Last summer we started collecting money to buy uniforms for students attending Case School, a Cleveland Municipal School.  We were able to get 31 pairs of pants, 33 shirts, plus lots of socks,  underwear, hats, gloves, and coats for the kindergarten students.  We plan on doing this again in August and September.Opportunities available:  Help promote the project, help with the collection, shop for uniforms, take uniforms to the school.

Imagine Peace Group
Meets the third Wednesday of each month.  Our goal is to create peace within ourselves, our families, our neighborhoods, and ultimately, the world community.  Our first action will be a peace vigil on Memorial Day. 

We have volunteered during the WCPN's pledge drive, are currently circulating petitions to get SB5 on the ballot in November, have worked to help the American Indian Education Center by getting toys for the children's holiday party and by securing donations to help them relocate to a safer space. We collected over 100 coats for the Homeless Stand Down, participated in Save Our Communities event, and participated in vigils for peace and for concern about immigration legislation in Arizona. 

We do a lot but we are always interested in new ideas and look forward to hearing about issues that are of concern to you.