The Pillar Society

Be a Pillar of Your Community…Join the Pillar Society of UCM Today!

Our Sustaining Monthly Giving Program

The Pillar Society is a community of dedicated supporters who make a monthly commitment to sustain United Congregations of Metro-East's work advancing community power, environmental justice, civic engagement, and economic opportunity.

Monthly gifts provide the reliable funding needed to respond quickly to community needs, build local leadership, and invest in long-term change.

Tiers of Giving

Core Pillar – $5-$25/month

Core Pillars help sustain the day-to-day work of organizing, leadership development, community outreach, and advocacy.

- Welcome kit and digital membership badge
- Subscription to UCM newsletter
- Quarterly impact updates
- Invitations to virtual briefings and community updates
- Early access to organizational news and announcements
- Recognition as Community Pillar member on website and in annual report

Community Pillar – $25-$49/month

Community Pillars provide critical support for UCM to strategically expand its reach, deepen its impact and help shape the future of our region.

Everything in CorePillar, plus:
- Invitations to exclusive virtual briefings
- Priority early registration for special events
- Annual impact conversation with UCM leadership
- Recognition as Cornerstone Pillar member on website and in annual report

Cornerstone Pillar – $50+/month

Cornerstone Pillars are leadership-level sustaining donors who make transformational investments in UCM's long-term sustainability and growth.

- Invitation to annual leadership reception and small-group gatherings
- Opportunity to participate in annual strategy dialogue with the Executive Director and UCM leadership team
- Recognition as a Leadership supporter on our website and annual repor

Frequently Asked Questions

Community transformation doesn't happen once a year. The challenges facing our communities require consistent organizing, advocacy, leadership development, and relationship-building. Monthly giving provides dependable support that allows UCM to plan ahead, invest in long-term solutions, and respond when opportunities arise.
We understand the real financial constraints many members of our community are encountering, which is why we’ve made sure to keep the cost of joining as accessible as possible - you can join a level of the Pillar Society with even $5 a month. We want to eliminate any barriers that might prevent supporters from joining us in this work.

Pillar Society members receive a welcome kit, as well as benefits such as invitations to annual members-only briefings and gatherings, early bird event access, exclusive content including podcast previews or report releases, and more depending on level. Most of all, they gain access to the community of motivated, like-minded community members driving forward this work.
While East St. Louis is the proud home of UCM and where our on-the ground legacy lives, our movement is greater. We are powered by organizers across the state, broader midwest region, and entire country. The day-to-day work we are doing here - phone-banking translates to the movement-building we need across the country to meet this moment. We host virtual briefings, and so that our non-local Pillar Society members can share in our collective efforts and stay deeply connected to our community.