Red Ribbon Congregation Program

In order to recognize congregations who have taken significant steps to become involved in global AIDS issues, and to use their example to encourage others to follow suit, UUGAC is offering a process for congregations to be recognized as a "Red Ribbon Congregation." (Named after the red ribbons people wear on their lapel to indicate support for the AIDS battle.)

In this section:
What is a red ribbon congregation?
How do we become a red ribbon congregation?
Recognition For Red Ribbon Congregations.
Download the Application.

What is a red ribbon congregation?

A "Red Ribbon" Congregation shall be so designated by the UU Global AIDS Coalition after providing evidence of compliance with at least two of the following:

1. An active process for ongoing education about the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This could be open meetings several times each year at which information is shared by speakers, films, or some other mechanism.

2. An active process for taking actions relevant to ongoing government programs - political advocacy. For example, the www.one.org and www.data.org websites are mechanisms for taking relevant action.

3. An active program that is involved with a community or project that is in direct service with affected people in Africa, sometimes called "twinning." There are several such ongoing projects in our community that could be joined or supported. Many such activities are found in the UU Global AIDS Coalition newsletter and website, www.UUGlobalAIDS.org.

4. An active fundraising project that is in support of HIV/AIDS projects and programs, either fundraising for local HIV/AIDS support projects, or for larger projects such as vaccine research. Several options can be found on the UU Global AIDS Coalition web site, www.UUGlobalAIDS.org

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How do we become a red ribbon congregation?

(Download application now.)

The first step in becoming a Red Ribbon Congregation is the formation of a recognized committee/team of members who take on the leadership role for the congregation. The committee/team will usually ask their Board of Trustees to make a statement of support for the designation of the congregation as a "Red Ribbon" Congregation.

An annual reassessment/report of what the congregation is doing including relevant plans for ongoing improvements shall be produced and a copy sent to the UU Global AIDS Coalition Red Ribbon Coordinator. The congregation will maintain its status as a "Red Ribbon Congregation". as long as it continues to remain active in at least two of the above activities. Each year the UU Global AIDS Coalition will re-designate all congregations that comply with the above reporting and activities.

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Recognition For Red Ribbon Congregations.

Recognition as a Red Ribbon Congregation will include the following:

* A Red Ribbon Banner to display in their place of worship

* Recognition on the UUA web site under the Global AIDS Coalition heading

* An annual Certificate of Recognition to acknowledge their continuing actions.

As more and more UU congregations take part in the Red Ribbon process, the actions that each is taking will be publicized by the UU Global AIDS Coalition as inspiration and information for other congregations to use in their own plans for action against the AIDS Pandemic.

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Please choose one and return it via email, fax, or postal mail:
Application in PDF Format
Appplication in MS Word Format

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