As many of you know, the Doolittle Home, located at 16 Bird Street in Foxborough, MA, USA, has been providing Chaplaincy services to the Doolittle Home UU residents for several years. The home, though once officially a UU affiliate, is no longer one because the present Doolittle Home Board of Trustees has voted to disassociate the Home from the Unitarian Universalist Association claiming that the Doolittle Home must be a public charity (not a religiously affiliated charity). In order to be recognized as a public charity by the IRS, the Doolittle Home apparently must hire clergy from diverse religions to conduct the weekly worship services rather than retaining the same minister all the time. This new policy will take effect in January 2004.

Most of the residents of the Home are UUs and wish to continue with a full time UU Chaplain rather than a different minister every month. Knowing it would be necessary to raise money for the calendar year 2004, the residents, led by Helen and Robert Dick, have asked us to manage a fund for them. Our church Board of Trustees voted unanimously to open an account for the chaplaincy fund so that all donations will be tax deductible. Our Treasurer will pay the UU chaplain and provide a monthly report to the UU Doolittle Home residents concerning the fund. As of November 14, 2003, they have raised in cash or by pledges approximately half of their goal.

Thanks to the creativity of the Doolittle Home residents, their generosity, and that of their friends, the support of our Board of Trustees, and the ongoing fundraising efforts which are being undertaken by Helen and Bob Dick, Bill and Carol Donovon, and other UU residents, a UU Minister will continue to provide weekly Chaplaincy services at the Doolittle Home. The resident's group is also seeking o other UU sources and the residents, their friends, and anyone else can make contributions to this fund, and the fund will pay the UU Chaplain to continue their ministry there.

Rev. Fayre C. Stephenson has been the UU Doolittle Chaplain for over three years and the new fund will ensure that she and her successors will be compensated for conducting weekly UU services at the Doolittle Home. If you have any questions about the fund please contact the Treasurer or the Board of Trustees of the Foxborough Universalist Church. Should anyone wish to contribute to this fund, just mail a check to the Treasurer at the address below and indicate that it is for the UU Chaplaincy Fund at Doolittle Home.

Your contributions are encouraged and greatly appreciated by the Unitarian Universalist residents of the Doolittle Home.