Assembling the Pieces: Supercharging Unitarian Universalist Social Action Committees
Gary D. Nissenbaum was the Chair of the Social Action Committee of The Unitarian Church in Summit from 2005 through 2012. In 2012, Mr. Nissenbaum received the Winifred Latimer Norman Award from the Unitarian Universalist District of Metropolitan New York "for extraordinary commitment and service in the area of social and racial justice." Also in 2012, the Unitarian Church in Summit received the Congregational Giving Award from the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee "in honor of exceptionally generous support" of UUSC projects in the developing world.  In 2010, the Unitarian Church in Summit received the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee's Social Action Award. It was the first year such an award was given. That same year, it was also one of only two large congregations to receive the Unitarian Universalist Association's Breakthrough Congregation Award. Mr. Nissenbaum is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey and serves as a cooperating attorney for that organization. He has published numerous articles on civil liberties issues for New Jersey Lawyer Magazine and is a frequent speaker on that topic to community groups, youth organizations and colleges. Mr. Nissenbaum is the managing principal of the Nissenbaum Law Group, a commercial law firm with offices in New Jersey, New York, Texas and Pennsylvania. He is a former Chairman of the District XII Attorney Ethics Committee (Union County) and a current member of the New Jersey, New York, Texas and District of Columbia Bars. He is also a published novelist and a Tai Chi Chuan instructor. Mr. Nissenbaum can be reached by email at gdn@gdnlaw.com.