UU Church West’s “Split the Plate” program is one of outreach and generosity. Each month we give half of all undesignated offerings to a non-profit organization, to help us live our Unitarian Universalist values and serve our community.

Our Split the Plate partner for June through mid-July is the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council. Their goal is to promote fair housing throughout the State of Wisconsin by combating illegal housing discrimination and by creating and maintaining racially and economically integrated housing patterns.  Their major programs are the following:

Enforcement program

  • Intake of fair housing complaints and counseling on options for administrative or judicial remedy.
  • Investigative services for persons who allege housing discrimination.
  • Systemic investigations of institutional discrimination.

Outreach & education program

  • Presentations to consumers, advocates, and the general public.
  • Fair housing training for property owners and managers, real estate agents, and other members of the housing industry.
  • Fair housing technical assistance and professional support to government agencies, civil rights organizations, social service agencies, and housing providers.
  • Development and distribution of fair housing educational materials.

Fair lending program

  • Investigates allegations of predatory lending, mortgage rescue scams, and other fair lending violations.
  • Monitors financial institutions, fair lending practices, and compliance with the federal community reinvestment act.
  • Provides information to financial institutions on how to improve service to low and moderate-income communities and people of color.
  • Provides technical assistance and education on fair lending and foreclosure prevention to lenders, policymakers, and the general public.

Inclusive communities program

  • Technical assistance and professional support to community organizations, developers, and local policymakers on inclusionary housing policies and the promotion of racial and economic integration.
  • Assistance with consumers’ access to pro-integrative housing choices.
  • Research, analysis, and documentation of fair and affordable housing opportunities and impediments.​

Check out their website at www.fairhousingwisconsin.com for more information about this very important organization.

To help support the Fair Housing Council, you can:

  • Go to the UUCW website’s “Donate” tab and select “Split the Plate” from the menu provided.
  • Or text your donation to 73256.
  • Or mail your donation to UUCW, 13001 W. North Ave., Brookfield WI 53005-5219

For more information about Split the Plate, contact Kathy Herrewig.