Neighbors in Need Special Mission Offering
Neighbors in Need (NIN) is a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that supports ministries of justice and compassion in the United States.
2025 Offering Date: October 5th
Offering Information
In 2024, the Neighbors in Need theme is “Mental Health Justice For All!” This year’s focus is on Mental Health Justice. In 2015, the General Synod of the United Church of Christ passed a resolution to become WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, and Engaged) for mental health.
A just world for all is a world where the human rights and well-being of people with mental health challenges are respected, no matter who you are or where you are in life’s mental health journey.
Please join us in promoting this year’s NIN “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right” campaign at your church.
As you may recall, one-third of the offering supports Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM). Two-thirds are used by Justice and Witness Ministries to provide grants to UCC churches and organizations as well as supporting a variety of justice initiatives, advocacy efforts, and direct service projects.
While many of our churches collect the offering on part of World Communion Sunday, contributions to this offering can be collected on any Sunday during the calendar year. We thank you for your support and generosity.
About Council for American Indian Ministries | About Justice and Witness Ministries | Neighbors in Need Grants
Apply for a Neighbors in Need Grant
If you’re a UCC church or affiliated organization doing justice in your community through advocacy efforts and direct service projects, you are eligible to apply for a Neighbors in Need grant. Learn about grant options and important dates. Application portal opens August 1, 2024.
Promote Neighbors in Need
Promote the Neighbors in Need “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right” campaign at your church through this exciting toolkit. It contains coloring pages, an eye-popping poster, two bulletin inserts, a variety of social media banners, and a leader’s guide.
Campaign Learning Resources
Welcome to the Neighbors in Need Special Mission Offering (NINSMO) Portal. The 2024 NIN campaign will focus on Mental Health Justice. Learn more about this issue from the links below.
Promote Neighbors in Need “Mental Health is a Universal Human Right” campaign at your church.
Explore the exciting offering promotional toolkit which contains a leader’s guide, two bulletin inserts, four coloring pages, a poster, and a variety of social media banners.
Neighbors in Need: Stories of Faith & Transformation
Read about the ministries who have received a grant and how they found success with it in their communities.
Neighbors in Need donations help bolster justice work in churches and communities
This summer, an average of 172 children participated daily in STEAM (science, technology,…
Read More
Phoenix church adapts its border ministry to meet neighbors’ changing needs
Sometimes a church sets out to help its neighbors in need. Then those needs change — and the…
Read More
Neighbors in Need helps people understand housing insecurity, provides pandemic relief
Helping people understand homelessness through the insight of others who have lived with housing…
Read MoreShare your story.
If you were a recipient of a Neighbors in Need (NIN) grant, help us inform our members whose contributions to NIN have made your grant possible about how lives have been transformed because of their generosity.
2022
Eastgate Congregational UCC
Fall City, WA
Circular Congregational UCC
Charlseton, SC
Claremont UCC
Claremont, CA
Rock Spring Congregational UCC
Arlington, VA
David’s UCC
Kettering, OH
The Church of Christ at Dartmouth
Hanover, NH
Mount Tabor UCC
Saint Louis, MO
Church of the Good Shepherd UCC
Albuquerque, NM
Mountain Rise UCC
Fairport, NY
University Congregational UCC
Seattle, WA
2021
Rock Spring Congregational UCC
Arlington, VA
Waiokeola Congregational Church UCC
Honolulu, HI
Central Union Church UCC
Honolulu, HI
Trinity Reformed UCC
Mountville, PA
Neighborhood Church UCC
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
Plymouth Congregational UCC
Fort Wayne, IN
Congregational UCC
Norwell, MA
About the Council for American Indian Ministry
The Council for American Indian Ministry (CAIM) is the voice for American Indian people in the UCC. CAIM provides Christian ministry and witness to American Indians and to the wider church. Justice issues that affect American Indian life are communicated to the whole UCC by CAIM.
Historically, the forebears of the UCC established churches and worked with Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Mandan, Hidatsa, Arickara, and Hocak in North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and northern Nebraska. Today there are 20 UCC congregations on reservations and one urban, multi-tribal UCC congregation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. CAIM supports these local churches and their pastors. In addition, CAIM strives to be a resource for more than 1,000 individuals from dozens of other tribes and nations who are members of other UCC congregations and to strengthen their participation in the life of the church.
Questions? Contact UCC.
Rachel McDonald
Generosity Officer, Our Church’s Wider Mission and Special Offerings
216-736-2182