Mission and Values
Madison-area Urban Ministry, Inc. (MUM) is a nonprofit interfaith social justice organization that convenes individuals and faith communities in the greater Dane County area in order to identify, study, urge action, and work together for social justice in the broader community. MUM has spurred social change in and about Dane County for almost three decades.
MUM’s mission statement is “standing with the poor and hurting, neighbors working together for social change.” MUM is often a voice for faith communities in society and is a conduit of information from society to faith communities.
Kathleen Falk, Dane County Executive, wrote the following: “MUM has always been a strong voice for both charity and social justice and for insisting on the inextricable link between the two. You have been a voice for important moral and spiritual values; you have advocated for those who most need voices raised on their behalf.”
The following are MUM’s guiding values:
- Helping frame issues for the community with compassion, mercy and justice.
- Promoting interfaith cooperation and collaboration.
- Convening and linking people of faith communities to engage in social action.
- Asking the question, “Are all people’s voices being heard?”
- Engaging youth on issues of concern.
- Promoting respectful and thoughtful dialogue.
- Advocating with low-income people.
- Emphasizing change in systems.
- We plant seeds that one day will grow.
- We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold promise.
- We lay foundations that need further development.
- We provide yeast that produces effects beyond our capabilities…
- We are prophets of a future not our own. (Monsignor Oscar Romero)