The Weekly Pushback

Bad news comes fast and furious these days--for trans folks, for immigrants, for the disabled. But all across the country, people of goodwill are pushing back. Every week, Old South's Christian Service and Outreach Committee (CSOC) will be giving $1,000 to an organization or individual who is serving the gospel in a world of bad news.

Do you know of a local organization whose funding has been affected over the last few months of budget cuts? Tell us about them - and they may receive one of the $1000 grants over the next 6 months!

Organizations we've supported so far in 2025 and 2026 include:

Faith Leaders for Housing Justice

June 8, 2025 - Old South donated $4,000 to support the work of Rev. June and Faith Leaders for Housing Justice. They are working to provide ministry and dignity to individuals struggling with homelessness and addiction. On Friday, June 13th at 11am, they are hosting a memorial service for those lost in the past year. Email Rev. June if you want to attend or get involved in other ways: junercooper@comcast.net

YW Boston

June 15, 2025 - Juneteenth offers an opportunity for reflection and engagement, particularly for a country built on and continuing to perpetuate racial inequity. For our action this week, Old South donated $1,000 to YW Boston, a nonprofit 4 blocks away with the mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Have other weekly action ideas? Email outreach@oldsouth.org

Allston-Brighton Food Pantry

June 22, 2025 - With federal cuts to SNAP and food pantry supplies, demand is outstripping supply across the country. Old South donated $1,000 this week to support our partners at Allston-Brighton UCC and their food pantry ministry, the Allston-Brighton Food Pantry. To join their volunteer list, email foodpantry@brightonallstonucc.org. 

World Gospel Mission

June 29, 2025 - Old South Church is honored to donate $2,000 to support the ministry of Dr. Nathanael Wiles, a dedicated family medicine physician serving at Tenwek Hospital in Bomet County, Kenya (and the nephew of OSC member Esther Seguin)! Despite battling brain cancer during medical school, Dr. Wiles pursued his dream of becoming a missionary doctor, now providing medical care and outreach to remote communities across Kenya. Check out World Gospel Mission's website.

Revolutionary Spaces

July 6, 2025 - America's history is intertwined with Old South. This week, Old South donated $1,000 to Revolutionary Spaces, a nonprofit preserves the spaces and stories of the American struggle to create and sustain a free society, singularly evoked by Boston’s Old South Meeting House and Old State House. 

Fenway Health

July 13, 2025 - Fenway Health was a pioneer in providing testing and care for individuals facing HIV in the 1980s. To this day, they have been on the cutting edge of research and care for the LGBTQ community across the world. Unfortunately, they have been targeted as a result. They have lost over $3M in federal funding since the beginning of the year and major research initiatives have had to close. As they grapple with challenges and next steps, Old South donated $1,000 in solidarity with their continued good work. To learn more about their mission, history, and services, go to fenwayhealth.org.

Casa Venezuela

July 20, 2025 - The reality of immigration detention has encroached into the daily lives of our neighbors and communities are being torn apart. With an unprecedented increase in ICE funding and loosened civil rights protections, it has never been more important for Old South to stand in solidarity with our neighbors. Old South donated $5,000 this week to Casa Venezuela New England, a local nonprofit that Old South members have been supporting over the past several years, as they are providing discounted services and support for immigrants applying for Asylum or other federal protection programs. To learn more or get involved, you can email member Margaret Sablove!

Rosie's Place

July 27, 2025 - Rosie's Place was founded in 1974 with the support of Old South Members as the first shelter specifically for women. Today they continue to do their essential work of providing day shelter, food, and other services to our most vulnerable community members. Old South donated $1,000 to support their work. To learn more or get involved, go to rosiesplace.org.

Marcus Anthony Institute

August 10, 2025 - With cutbacks to youth job training programs and federal grant funding for low-income schools, it has never been more important to support our community nonprofits in the Boston area. The Marcus Anthony Institute provides job training, mentorship, and community connection. Old South donated $1,000 to support the stipend for two students in their summer cohort. Go to https://www.maheii.org/ to learn more about their work.

Castle of Our Skins

August 17, 2025 - With threats to free speech and expression becoming more common, it has never been more important to support local gathering spaces for expression of our full selves. Castle of Our Skins is a Black arts institution dedicated to fostering cultural curiosity and celebrating Black artistry through music. In classrooms, concert halls, and beyond, Castle of Our Skins invites Black heritage and culture exploration, spotlighting both unsung and celebrated figures of past and present. Castle of our Skins has performed at Old South recently and you can go to their website to learn more about upcoming performances or engagement opportunities: https://www.castleskins.org/

Capuchin Mobile Ministries

August 24, 2025 - With reductions in support for programs that help those who are poor and homeless, Capuchin Mobile Ministries continues its work on the streets of greater Boston providing comfort, prayer and companionship. Capuchin Mobile Ministries brings the welcome of Christ to people living on the streets in Boston and Cambridge, Mass. They provide spiritual care to everyone experiencing homelessness, poverty, and loneliness. They share food and drink and other emergency supplies. They offer spiritual resources and pray together. They direct people to social services. Old South donated $1,000 to support their work. We encourage you to learn more about them at www.capuchin.org/ministries/mobile-ministries

Partnership for Public Service and American Federation of Government Employees

August 31, 2025 - The American Federation of Government Employees and the Partnership for Public Service have been on the front lines, pushing back against the dismantling of our federal civil service and providing resources to support laid off federal employees. Old South is proud to donate $1,000 to their federal employee defense fund to support those who have been wrongfully terminated

FriendshipWorks

September 7, 2025 - FriendshipWorks’ mission is to reduce social isolation, enhance the quality of life, and preserve the dignity of older adults in Greater Boston. What started as an inter-faith movement in the meeting space at Old South, FriendshipWorks now serves as a national model. Old South is proud to donate $1,000 to continue their great work. To volunteer or receive services, you can go to their website at https://fw4elders.org

Grace Church

September 14, 2025 - Grace Church UCC in East Boston has been supporting their community, particularly those affected by ICE deportations or TPS revocation. Old South donated $1,000 to their work to assist people, especially families, that have experienced income or job loss due to immigration detainment or deportation. Funds will be used to help our neighbors avoid eviction, put food on the table, and cover other basic costs of living. To contribute, you can go to: https://givebutter.com/familysupportfund

Alternatives for Community and the Environment

September 21, 2025 - Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE), based in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, has worked since 1994 to advance environmental justice and empower residents to fight for clean air, safe housing, and equitable transit. Their community organizing has secured victories against polluting industries, expanded affordable transit access, and built leadership among youth and residents most impacted by inequities. At a time when climate change, displacement, and public health disparities are intensifying, ACE’s work is critical to ensuring that low-income and communities of color have the power and resources to shape a healthier, more just future. Old South has supported them with over $40,000 in grants over the past few years and is contributing an additional $1,000 this week in honor of the Sun Way action. To learn more or get involved, go to https://ace-ej.org/

REACH Domestic Violence

October 5, 2025 -  REACH is a local nonprofit that supports survivors on every step of their journey to wellbeing while working with community members to both better support survivors in their lives and change social conditions under which domestic violence thrives. The goal is to end domestic violence, so organizations like REACH no longer need to exist. In the meantime, REACH serves 6,000 people each year through community based advocacy with survivors living in their own homes, an emergency shelter for those who need it, hotline as a resource for anyone experiencing abuse, and a prevention program that helps create systemic change and eliminate abuse through public education, skill building, and engagement. Each year the Christian Service and Outreach Committee awards a special grant in honor of former minister Duane Day to an organization that helps people help themselves. This year, we are delighted to give that $3,000 award to REACH. To learn more or get involved email Lauren Knackel or go to https://reachma.org/

Dollar a Day Fund

October 12, 2025 - For Indigenous people's day, Old South donated $1,000 to the Dollar A Day fund. This fund provides grants to indigenous-led organizations that are supporting their communities and local environments. They've made grants to over 340 Indigenous organizations across the US and encourage donors to give $1 per day or $365 per year to support their work. To see their grantees or support their work, go to https://www.dollaraday.fund/

Victory Programs

October 19, 2025 - In July of 2025, a new executive order defunded HUD housing first programs that are essential to supporting individuals struggling with addictions to get the resources that they need. Victory Programs was founded in 1975 as one of the first organizations in the state to provide housing and support for people living with HIV/AIDS, homelessness, and substance use disorders. Over time, it has expanded to operate more than a dozen programs across Boston, offering emergency and transitional housing, recovery and treatment services, health care navigation, and harm reduction supports. Today, Victory Programs plays a critical role in the community by helping thousands of individuals each year stabilize their lives, achieve recovery, and build long-term health and housing security. Old South is honored to give them a grant of $1,000 to continue their great work. To learn more, go to https://www.vpi.org/.

Christian Friends Mission International

October 26, 2025 - Pastor Frank has spoken at Old South several times over the last decade as his ministry to provide food, education, and jobs to LGBTQ youth and other marginalized youth comes under threat from the Ugandan government. Old South is proud to support their great work, particularly as the US has taken a step back from its international support. To learn more or donate, email outreach@oldsouth.org or go to wecarewelove.org.

Greater Boston Food Bank + Eastie Farms

November 2, 2025 - Since the beginning of the year, the Federal administration has cut grants to food banks and have cut SNAP benefits nationwide for the next decade. But now they have announced that until the Government shutdown ends, all SNAP funding is suspended. Over 1 million MA residents are suddenly cut off of a critical tool for their basic needs and Old South is jumping into action. 

A few weeks ago, Old South approved a $20,000 grant to the Allston-Brighton Food Pantry, and one of our Small Groups has started volunteering there several times per month. This week, we are doing even more, with these additional grants:

$5,000 for the Greater Boston Food Bank to distribute across the region, and  $5,000 to Eastie Farms to support food access in East Boston. On November 2nd, Old South's Youth Group hosted a pancake breakfast fundraiser in support of the Allston-Brighton Food Pantry and Community Fridges. 

If you want to get involved in any of these efforts, please email Rev. Rachel Barton at rachel@oldsouth.org

Prison Book Program

November 9, 2025 - Calvin Arey, a longtime Boston resident and retired real estate professional, is the only surviving lead plaintiff from Landman v. Royster, the landmark case that desegregated Virginia’s prisons and established basic due process rights for incarcerated people. Drawing on his own experience of incarceration in the 1960s and 1970s, Calvin began sending books to prisoners in Virginia in 2022, eventually founding the Albert Woodfox Memorial Mini-Freedom Libraries. Through his nonprofit, he has mailed more than 3,000 books to prisoners in 16 Virginia prisons and recently expanded to three Massachusetts prisons. Living on Social Security, Calvin funds this work almost entirely through personal donations. Old South is proud to offer a $1,000 grant to purchase additional books for Massachusetts prisoners for the Prison Book Program.

Trans Emergency Fund

November 16, 2025 - In honor of Trans Day of Remembrance on November 20, Old South is proud to support the Transgender Emergency Fund of Massachusetts. Since 2008, this fund has provided vital financial assistance to low-income transgender and nonbinary individuals, offering support with rent, shelter, food, prescription co-pays, transportation, and winter clothing. In a time when trans rights and safety are increasingly under attack, supporting this work is one way we can stand in solidarity with and care for our trans neighbors. To learn more go to: https://transemergencyfund.org

Roslindale Food Pantry

November 23, 2025 - The Roslindale Food Pantry, a ministry of Roslindale Congregational Church (UCC), serves neighbors in Roslindale and Hyde Park. Their mission is to address food insecurity in their neighborhoods through compassionate action, offering nutritious and culturally-appropriate foods and serving over 120 families and individuals each pantry day. For more information on how to donate or receive food from the pantry, visit: https://roscon.org/food-pantry/

LUCE

November 30, 2025 - This week, we affirm the hopeful work of LUCE, a coalition of immigrant-led, grassroots organizations across Massachusetts working to strengthen immigrant communities through coordinated support and collective action. LUCE operates a daily hotline in multiple languages to report suspected ICE or DHS activity and dispatch community observers. Their vision is for “a People’s immigration justice” rooted in liberation, union, community, and esperanza/esperança/espwa (hope).

In addition to serving as this week’s Weekly Pushback grantee, LUCE has also been selected as this year’s recipient of Old South’s Robert H. Christenson Award. This award honors organizations whose work embodies hope, dignity, and deep concern for all those seeking care, qualities central to the legacy of Old South minister Rev. Robert H. Christenson. We give thanks for LUCE’s work and for the enduring legacy of compassionate service that the Christenson Award commemorates. To learn more about LUCE, please visit: https://www.lucemass.org

BIJAN

December 7, 2025 - This week, we lift up the work of BIJAN. BIJAN is a community network of individuals, faith communities, and activist groups working to reduce the escalating harm of our immigration system. They provide court accompaniment, legal referrals, and fundraising support to immigrants and asylum seekers. They also offer rides to visit detained loved ones, and help with housing, transportation, and other immediate needs for those released on bond without resources. Old South donated BIJAN $10,000 to help support them as they continue building peace by ensuring no one faces the immigration system alone.

Eastie Farms

December 14, 2025 - In honor of the Advent candle of Joy, we celebrate Eastie Farms, whose work brings joy to East Boston in the most tangible ways: through fresh produce, community gardens, youth programs, and climate-resilient food systems that nourish both people and neighborhood. This week, Old South gave an additional $5,000 to support their joyful vision of a greener, healthier, and more equitable East Boston.

Capuchin Mobile Ministries

December 21, 2025 - Our final Advent candle invites us to embody Love, a type of love that is present, mobile, and unafraid to meet people exactly where they are. Capuchin Mobile Ministries brings spiritual care, food, everyday living supplies, and human connection directly to unhoused neighbors throughout Boston. Old South gave $10,000 this week to help sustain their ministry of love on the move.

Neighbors in Need Offering

December 28, 2025 - Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that supports ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States. One-third of the gifts received support the Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM), uplifting the voices and vitality of Native communities. Two-thirds of this offering is used by the UCC’s Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM) to support a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects through grants.

Neighbors in Need grants are awarded to UCC churches and organizations doing justice work in their communities. These grants fund projects whose work ranges from direct service to community organizing and advocacy to address systemic injustice. Learn more at ucc.org/nin.

St. Andrew's Church in Cairo

January 4, 2026 - While a lot of attention is focused on the how many refugees the US admits each year, the vast majority of refugees don't live in Europe or America. Instead, they live in neighboring countries that provide no resources or support for individuals facing poverty and trauma. St. Andrew's Church in Cairo has been providing support to refugees in Egypt for decades, including more than a million refugees fleeing violence in Sudan. OId South is proud to suport their work, along with some of our members who have been supporting them for years. To learn more, go to https://stars-egypt.org/

Food Justice Program at The Center JP

January 11, 2026 - The Center JP’s Food Justice Program began by offering two free weekly meals to neighbors in their community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this work expanded significantly to address rising food insecurity, growing into a network of hot meal service, grocery distribution, and delivery.

As of 2026, The Center JP provides healthy, freshly cooked community meals several days a week and operates a Food Pantry serving approximately 450 households weekly. The pantry is open five days a week and includes a storefront market where neighbors can purchase fresh produce, bread, and other staples at reduced prices, made possible through partnerships with local producers and suppliers. Old South is excited to support the Food Justice Program’s work in Jamaica Plain as they meet immediate needs while also working to build more just and sustainable access to food.

Women's Lunch Place

January 18, 2026 - Women’s Lunch Place is a daytime shelter and advocacy center in Boston that offers a safe, welcoming space for women experiencing homelessness, hunger, and poverty. Founded in 1982 by Jane Alexander and Eileen Reilly, the organization began out of a commitment to provide a place where women could met with dignity as they received a meal and rested during the day. 

Today, Women’s Lunch Place continues this work by serving nutritious meals several days a week, offering access to showers and hygiene supplies, and providing on-site medical care and wellness programming. During these cold winter months, we affirm the great need for people to be met with a space for physical and emotional warmth, and Old South is proud to donate $1,000 to WLP as they continue to pursue this vital goal.

common cathedral

January 25, 2026 - On Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, folks from Old South will once again be participating in the Winter Walk to End Homelessness in support of our partners at common cathedral. common cathedral exists to build community and bridge the gap between unhoused and housed individuals by gathering weekly on the Boston Common for a time of food and worship. In their 26 years as an organization, common cathedral has provided over 6,000 hot and healthy meals to Bostonians in need. Old South is proud to support our longstanding partnership with common cathedral as we walk together at Winter Walk.

Immigrant Family Services Institute, Inc.

February 1, 2026 - For our first February Weekly Pushback, we uplift the work of Immigrant Family Services Institute, a Boston-area nonprofit dedicated to expediting the successful integration of recent immigrants into the social and economic life of our region. IFSI welcomes newcomers in its “One Stop Centers,” where culturally-competent staff help families access legal aid, housing, healthcare, and continuing education. With programs for children, youth, and adults, including academic enrichment, English language instruction, job preparation, IFSI walks with immigrants of all ages as they seek to become active members of their new communities. 

Black Sports Ministry Network

February 8, 2026 - The Black Sports Ministry Network, under the leadership of Womanist scholar, community builder, and Founding Executive Director Cynthia N. Perry, M.Div, exists to develop ethical leaders in sports, beginning with athletes, coaches, chaplains, and support staff of the African Diaspora.

The Black Sports Ministry Network fulfills this mission through strategic consultation and collaboration with Black pastors, chaplains, scholars, health professionals, and others—cultivating a distinctive platform for education, empowerment, community, and social advocacy within the world of sports. Their work centers spiritual care and support resources rooted in Black culture, spirituality, and theology, affirming the lived experiences of those they serve.

Museum of African American History

February 15, 2026 - The Museum of African American History is New England’s largest museum dedicated to preserving, conserving and interpreting the contributions of African Americans. In Boston and Nantucket, the Museum has preserved two historic sites and two trails that tell the story of organized Black communities from the Colonial Period through the 19th century. 

Exhibits, programs, and education activities at the Museum showcase the powerful stories of Black families who worshipped, educated their children, debated the issues of the day, produced great art, organized politically and advanced the cause of freedom. Old South is proud to support their work of keeping history alive by making a $1,000 donation to their efforts.

Boston Ujima Project

February 22, 2026 - The Boston Ujima Project is a community-led organization working to keep wealth, land, and decision-making power in the hands of Boston’s working-class communities of color. They bring together local residents, small business owners, workers, artists, and values-aligned investors to collectively decide where their funds should be allocated within local communities.

Through their democratically governed Ujima Fund, community members help fund local businesses, housing projects, and cultural work that meet shared standards around fairness, sustainability, and care for workers and neighbors. Ujima makes it possible for people most impacted by economic inequality to shape the future of their own neighborhoods, and Old South is proud to support this work with a $1,000 donation. 

Iglesia Hispana de la Comunidad UCC

March 1, 2026 - Iglesia Hispana de la Comunidad, a fellow UCC congregation in Jamaica Plain, is working to expand their outreach to seniors in their community, helping build intergenerational connection and prevent isolation. As part of this commitment, Iglesia Hispana has developed a nine-month, presence-based ministry pilot program that will form a dedicated visitation team to travel to local nursing homes and create a series of events connecting youth with the stories and traditions of their elders. Old South is proud to support this pilot program in full, donating $2,700 to sustain this vital ministry of our wider church partners.

EmPath

March 8, 2026 - In the midst of challenges for access to healthcare, education, and work status, support for economic mobility has never been more important. This week, we uplift the work of Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath), a longstanding Boston-area nonprofit dedicated to disrupting poverty and expanding economic opportunity for people with low incomes.

EMPath partners one-on-one with individuals and families through its research-backed Mobility Mentoring model, helping participants identify barriers, set goals, and build the skills, connections, and confidence needed to achieve long-term financial stability. From direct services and housing supports in Greater Boston to a global learning network of organizations advancing economic mobility nationwide, EMPath is reshaping how communities support individuals moving out of poverty. Old South is proud to support EMPath’s work with a $1,000 donation as they continue strengthening pathways to financial security, resilience, and opportunity for families across the region. To learn more or get involved, go to empathways.org

One Great Hour of Sharing

March 15, 2026 - One Great Hour of Sharing is one of four special mission offerings of the United Church of Christ. This week, churches across our denomination are joining together to pool our resources in support of this shared effort. The Lenten offering supports partners around the world through ministries that fund health, education, and agricultural development, as well as emergency relief, refugee support, and both international and domestic disaster response.

Immigration Family Support Fund

March 22, 2026 - The Immigration Family Support Fund, facilitated by our denominational partners at Grace Church in East Boston, was developed in response to growing concerns about ICE activity within their local community. The fund assists individuals and families who have experienced income or job loss due to immigration detention or deportation, helping neighbors avoid eviction, put food on the table, and cover other basic costs of living. Funds may also support family connection and reunification.

To strengthen this effort, Old South’s Christian Service and Outreach Committee committed to matching up to $2,500 in donations made during worship this week.

common cathedral

March 29, 2026 - This week, we are highlighting Old South’s long-term commitment to common cathedral. For more than 26 years, common cathedral has gathered on Boston Common for outdoor worship while also building community, offering spiritual care, and bridging the gap between unhoused and housed people through a range of programs rooted in connection and belonging. 

At the Winter Walk last week, our church also raised $6,845 for common cathedral in addition to the $20,000 annual grant that we are giving! We are grateful to support a ministry that is so deeply committed to serving all people with dignity, companionship, and care.

 

Transgender Law Center

April 12, 2026 - In the past couple of weeks, the Trump administration has stopped enforcing civil rights protections for trans students and the supreme court has struck down bans on conversion therapy.

March 31st was Trans Day of Visibility and we share openly that we stand with our trans members and the broader community of beloved children of God.

This week's weekly pushback supports the Transgender Law Center with a $1,000 grant to continue their work to keep gender nonconforming people alive, thriving, and fighting for liberation. They run workshops, do research, and pursue litigation to support these essential rights. We are glad to stand with them and support them this week.

Boston Interfaith Climate Allies

April 26, 2026 - Boston Interfaith Climate Allies (BICA) is a coalition of faith-based groups in the Boston area committed to climate justice, environmental stewardship, and mobilizing religious communities for social action. BICA helps equip people for the work of faithful climate advocacy by hosting guest speakers, organizing days of environmental celebration, and coordinating protests and public action to advocate for just and sustainable climate policy. 

On this Care of Creation Sunday, Old South is proud to uplift the work of BICA by donating $1,000 to support their efforts to bring people together and take meaningful action for the health of our shared home.

 

Boston Healthcare for the Homeless

May 3, 2026 - As we welcome Dr. Jim O’Connell to Old South this Sunday, May 3 at 10 AM, we uplift the work of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, where Dr. Jim serves as the president and founding physician.

BHCHP brings together a team of more than 600 medical and behavioral health clinicians, social service providers, and support staff, all committed to offering comprehensive, high-quality care to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Boston and beyond.

Across more than 30 clinic sites in shelters, hospitals, on the streets, BHCHP provides medical care, behavioral health support, youth and family services, and case management to nearly 10,000 people each year. In support of this vital work, Old South is making a $1,000 donation this week.

Allston-Brighton Food Pantry

May 10, 2026 - As we welcome Dr. Jim O’Connell to Old South this Sunday, May 3 at 10 AM, we uplift the work of the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, where Dr. Jim serves as the president and founding physician.

BHCHP brings together a team of more than 600 medical and behavioral health clinicians, social service providers, and support staff, all committed to offering comprehensive, high-quality care to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Boston and beyond.

Across more than 30 clinic sites in shelters, hospitals, on the streets, BHCHP provides medical care, behavioral health support, youth and family services, and case management to nearly 10,000 people each year. In support of this vital work, Old South is making a $1,000 donation this week.

First Teacher

May 17, 2026 - This week, we are proud to support First Teacher with a $1,000 Weekly Pushback donation as they continue their work alongside families with young children across Boston, particularly in Roxbury and Dorchester.
Since 2014, First Teacher has helped build spaces of shared learning for families with at least one child under the age of eight. Through book clubs, parenting discussion groups, playdates, wellness gatherings, workshops, and community events, First Teacher helps caregivers and children build meaningful relationships and stronger communities.
At a time when education funding continues to face cuts across the country, we are grateful for organizations like First Teacher that continue to invest in children, caregivers, and the long, ongoing work of helping families flourish.

LUCE

May 24, 2026 - This week, we are highlighting Old South’s ongoing commitment to LUCE, a coalition of immigrant-led, grassroots organizations across Massachusetts working to strengthen immigrant communities through coordinated support and collective action. LUCE operates a daily hotline in multiple languages to report suspected ICE or DHS activity, and they have built a strong network for dispatching community observers.

As we celebrate Pentecost as a day of sending, we are proud to uplift LUCE’s work of equipping neighbors to go out into their communities to support and protect one another. This week, we affirm the importance of that work not only through a $1,000 grant, but also by committing our time as a church to helping establish Old South as a LUCE supply hub for downtown Boston during our Pentecost Day of Service this Sunday, May 24th, at 10:00 AM in Mary Norton Hall.

Muslim Religious Life Fund

May 31, 2026 - This week, our Christian Service and Outreach Committee is highlighting the Muslim Religious Life Fund at Boston University, which works to provide nourishing meals for Muslim students experiencing food insecurity.While some students are able to access meals through BU Dining or university meal plans, those living off-campus or facing financial hardship often do not have reliable access to prepared meals to break their fasts during religious observances. These meals will help ensure that students are able to fully participate in the rhythms of their faith without added financial strain.

Boston University Marsh Chapel & Religious Life shared this opportunity with Old South as a way of fostering deeper interfaith partnership, and we are grateful to donate $1,000 this week and shared support across our communities.

GLAD Law: GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders

June 7, 2026 - Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law) works in New England and nationally to create a just society free from discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.

Their legal work supports LGBTQ+ people and those living with HIV by helping remove barriers to medication and healthcare, protecting LGBTQ+ families, and enforcing workplace protections. As Old South walks with our wider denomination in the Boston Pride March this Saturday, we are proud to pair our public witness with material support, donating $1,000 to GLAD Law’s ongoing work for increased equity and protection under the law.

Mass Bail Fund

June 14, 2026 - Old South recently hosted “Boots for Bail,” a queer community line dancing event that brought people together in joy and solidarity while raising funds for the Massachusetts Bail Fund.

Led by formerly incarcerated and directly impacted individuals, the Massachusetts Bail Fund works to prevent people from remaining in jail before trial if they cannot afford bail. Since 2013, the fund has helped people stay connected to their homes, jobs, families, and communities while awaiting their day in court, pushing back against a system where freedom too often depends on financial means. This week, the Christian Service and Outreach Committee is further supporting their work through a $1,000 Weekly Pushback donation.

Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition (MTPC)

June 21, 2026 - This week, Old South is proud to support the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition with a $1,000 Weekly Pushback grant.

Founded in 2001, MTPC is the only statewide advocacy organization in Massachusetts focused solely on transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive communities. Led by trans people, for trans people, MTPC works to strengthen safety, dignity, leadership, and access to care for trans and nonbinary people across the Commonwealth.

Their programs include leadership development, employment support, identity document assistance, and emergency financial assistance for housing, utilities, medical expenses, mental health care, and other basic needs. MTPC also provides free access to gender-affirming garments, products, and resources that help people live more fully as themselves.
In this Pride season, we give thanks for MTPC’s work to help trans and nonbinary people live with safety and joy into the fullness of who they are.

Capuchin Mobile Ministries

June 21, 2026 - As we welcome Amanda Grant Rose, Director of Stewardship and Engagement for Capuchin Mobile Ministries, as our guest preacher this Sunday, Old South is grateful to deepen our connection to their work through worship, learning, and a $1,000 Weekly Pushback grant.

A long-time partner of Old South, Capuchin Mobile Ministries seeks to bring the welcome of Christ to people experiencing homelessness in the greater Boston area. Several days a week, their outreach van travels to places where unhoused neighbors gather, offering food and drink, emergency supplies, spiritual resources, and connection to social services.

Vitally, their ministry combines practical support with steady, relationship-based care, and we are grateful to support this work of presence and relief, especially in these hot summer days.

Upstander Project

July 5, 2026 - Through the creation of documentary films, learning resources, and educator workshops, Upstander Project works to amplify stories that have been shaped by colonization and systemic injustice. Their work invites people to face difficult histories with honesty and care, and to commit themselves to the long, sustained work of repair. Though Upstander’s educational work is rooted in the past, it seeks to equip communities for a more equitable and informed future. 

As we celebrate American Independence Day this week, Old South’s Christian Service and Outreach Committee is grateful to support Upstander’s work of helping tell fuller truths about our country’s history with a $1,000 Weekly Pushback grant.

North American Indian Center of Boston

July 12, 2026 - This week, the Christian Service and Outreach Committee is honored to support NAICOB’s work with a $1,000 Weekly Pushback grant. NAICOB was originally established in 1969 as the Boston Indian Council (BIC) when it served as the hub of social and civil rights activities for the American Indian/Alaska Native and First Nations urban Indian community in Boston. 

The BIC reorganized as the North American Indian Center of Boston in 1991 and offered innovative programs such as a drop-in recovery facility, Native American head start, and on-site job training. To this day, they continue to provide a wide range of cultural, social, educational, and professional services to Native peoples in the Commonwealth, guided by the expressed needs of their community members. 

As we usher in the 250th year of American independence, Old South is grateful to affirm the enduring presence and resilience of Native communities whose histories are too often overlooked in the telling of our nation’s founding. 

Native American LifeLines

July 19, 2026 - Native American LifeLines promotes health and social resilience within urban American Indian communities. Grounded in principles of trauma-informed care, the organization provides culturally centered behavioral health, dental, outreach, and referral services.

Located in Dorchester, the Boston chapter of Native American LifeLines offers monthly programming, including an Indigenous-focused sobriety group. They also compile a resource guide of care providers with experience supporting Indigenous people in areas such as health insurance enrollment, HIV testing and counseling, domestic violence support, and suicide prevention. This week, Old South’s Christian Service and Outreach Committee is grateful to support Native American LifeLines’ work of building pathways toward healing and culturally responsive care with a $1,000 Weekly Pushback grant.

NDN Collective

July 26, 2026 - NDN Collective is an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power nationwide.

They provide funding, training, and resources to grassroots movements led by and for Indigenous communities. In particular, their work supports campaigns to protect Native lands, waters, and human rights. 

This week, Old South’s Christian Service and Outreach Committee is supporting NDN Collective’s work of advancing Indigenous self-determination with a $1,000 Weekly Pushback grant.

One Can Help

August 9, 2026 - One Can Help is a Massachusetts nonprofit that provides emergency resources to children, foster youth, and low-income families involved with the juvenile court or child welfare system. Working directly with court-appointed attorneys and DCF social workers, One Can Help responds to urgent needs that other funding cannot cover. 

Old South’s Christian Service and Outreach Committee proud to support One Can Help’s work of keeping children safe and families together with a $1,000 Weekly Pushback grant.

Mount Vernon Church

August 16, 2026 - This week, as a part of our Weekly Pushback initiative, we are giving thanks for Mount Vernon Church, a congregation whose generosity continues to make the generosity of Old South possible. 

Founded in 1842, Mount Vernon Church closed its building at Beacon Street and Massachusetts Avenue in 1970, when its congregation entered into a lasting relationship with Old South. Now, More than fifty years later, Mount Vernon’s ministry continues to reach far beyond the building it once called home.

Today, Mount Vernon continues to support a wide range of charitable and educational work. Some of its scholarship funding helps students at the Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology pursue practical training for careers in skilled trades and technical fields, while other gifts support food access, humanitarian relief, congregational ministries, and organizations serving people throughout Greater Boston and beyond.

We are grateful that Mount Vernon reminds us that a church has never been only the walls that contain it. Its generosity continues to feed, teach, shelter, and sustain others, while helping Old South do the same.

FriendshipWorks

August 16, 2026 - For the second year in a row, Old South is proud to support FriendshipWorks with a $1,000 Weekly Pushback grant. FriendshipWorks works to reduce social isolation, enhance quality of life, and preserve the dignity of older adults across Greater Boston by building meaningful relationships and connections.
What began as an interfaith movement meeting here at Old South has grown into a nationally recognized model for addressing social isolation among older adults. We are grateful to continue supporting a ministry whose roots are close to home and whose reach now extends far beyond our walls.
To volunteer or receive services, visit https://fw4elders.org/

Museum of African American History

August 30, 2026 - The Museum of African American History is New England’s largest museum dedicated to preserving, conserving and interpreting the contributions of African Americans. In Boston and Nantucket, the Museum has preserved two historic sites and two trails that tell the story of organized Black communities from the Colonial Period through the 19th century. 

Exhibits, programs, and education activities at the Museum showcase the powerful stories of Black families who worshipped, educated their children, debated the issues of the day, produced great art, organized politically and advanced the cause of freedom. For the second year in a row, Old South is proud to support their work of keeping history alive by making a $1,000 donation to their efforts.

Breaktime Boston

September 6, 2026 - Breaktime is a Boston-based non-profit dedicated to ending young adult homelessness through purposeful employment and empowerment.  By hiring and offering support to young people experiencing housing insecurity, Breaktime helps build income confidence and community by offering financial support,  employment, wraparound services.  Breaktime works to ensure every youth serveed has tools needed to achieve job, financial and long-term housing security. This week. Old South is proud to support their work with a $1,000 Weekly Pushback grant.

Mattapan Food and Fitness

September 13, 2026 - The Mattapan Food and Fitness organization was created by concerned residents to offer community residents access to healthy food, providing youth engagement training and volunteer opportunities and physical activties.  The organization serves over 7000 residents annually.  It hosts a weekly farmers market from July - October engaging  farmers to sell produce at reasonable rates and accepting SNAP benefits.  This attracts between 200 - 400 shoppers weekly.  It also engages youth by offering leadership training and volunteer opportunities throughout the year.  OSC, as part of our weekly pushback grant programs is pleased to offer a $1000 grant to MFFC.