HOMELESSNESS and POVERTY

CVUU’s Social Justice Committee works to eradicate homelessness, hunger and poverty in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and nearby cities. We sponsor or help sponsor the following programs:

NEST

The Norfolk Emergency Shelter Team is a coalition of caring people, churches, synagogues and community groups offering emergency overnight shelter to men and women during the winter months. We are an all-volunteer organization supported by private donations.

Providing love, warmth, and support for our area homeless has been the goal of NEST since it was founded in 1992. Our congregation, then the Unitarian Church of Norfolk, is one of the founding members. This community-wide program keeps hundreds of people in need safely indoors and fed. CVUU is just one of more than 30 local sites operating temporary overnight shelters on a rotating basis from November to April.

If you are interested in volunteering for NEST, contact office@c-vuu.org. We need volunteers to serve as bus stop helpers, hosts, dinner providers and servers, overnight helpers, and early AM volunteers to cook/serve breakfast or help with clean up.

During the NEST season, we are in need of gently used winter clothing including socks, underwear (new only), sweaters, sweatshirts, jackets and sweatpants, (all adult sizes, clean and ready for immediate use). Hand towels and washcloths. Individually wrapped snack items such as peanut butter crackers, trail mix, fruit cups, and granola bars (soft). Watch for announcements about how to contribute as winter approaches.

Sandwich Makers

Sandwich Makers meets from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. near the CVUU kitchen on Mondays (except the Monday following the second Saturday). The Norfolk Catholic Worker hospitality line distributes our contributions. (this service is paused during COVID, we are still servicing we are just not taking volunteers).

For more information, contact office@c-vuu.org.

The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore

Our church collects canned goods, dry cereal in boxes and bottled juices to help feed the hungry and homeless of our wider community.  Our donations are then transported to the Foodbank.

Donations can be placed in the brown bench located by the south entrance  to the Sanctuary.

Holiday Food Baskets and Angel Tree

We distribute Thanksgiving and Christmas meal baskets in Norfolk in cooperation with Ghent Area Ministries and in Virginia Beach through the Virginia Department of Social Services in Virginia Beach.

Gift for children are gathered through the Angel Tree program and distributed in Norfolk through the St. Columba Ecumenical Ministries and in Virginia Beach through Social Services.