American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) was founded in 1917 to relieve suffering during and after the First World War and to provide conscientious objectors with alternative service opportunities. Friends in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting were among the founders of the organization. AFSC continues to develop and support programs in the United States and around the world. Among its goals are to increase understanding among national, racial and ethnic groups, to enable indigenous populations to improve their living conditions, and to relieve suffering caused by economic and social dislocation as well as by war. afsc.org
Bible Association of Friends in America, established in the 1830s, distributes Bibles and hosts an annual event in the Philadelphia area. (No website)
Center on Conscience and War continues work begun in 1940 to offer alternative service for conscientious objectors to war. Currently, it supports conscientious objectors, including members of the US military who seek discharge as conscientious objectors, and young men required to register with Selective Service System. Along with AFSC, Quaker House in Fayetteville, North Carolina and others, the Center on Conscience and War maintains a “GI Rights” hotline to assist those in the military and provides training for counselors. centeronconscience.org.
Earth Quaker Action Team (EQAT), established in 2009, is a grassroots, nonviolent direct action group founded by Quakers to address climate change and the integrity of the earth. EQAT is governed by an independent board. eqat.org
Friends Association for Higher Education (FAHE), formed in 1977, creates opportunities for fellowship among all who share Quaker ideals in higher education whether on Quaker or non-Quaker campuses. It enhances appreciation of Friends religious heritage, encourages scholarly research and supports Friends colleges and universities in their efforts to affirm their Quaker heritage. FAHE sponsors an annual meeting and a variety of publications. quakerfahe.com
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) was formed in 1943 by members of the Religious Society of Friends who gathered at Quaker Hill in Richmond, Indiana. FCNL is the oldest registered lobby representing a faith community in Washington, DC. It seeks a world free of war and the threat of war, a society with equity and justice for all, a community where every person’s potential may be fulfilled and an earth restored. Working in collaboration with other organizations, it coordinates and enhances the efforts of Friends across the country to convey their concerns to the executive and legislative branches of national government. fcnl.org
Friends Council on Education (FCE), founded in 1931, helps Friends schools maintain their Quaker identity and ethos, and their relationship with the Religious Society of Friends. FCE strengthens the network of support among Friends schools; promotes professional growth for trustees, administrators and faculty; promotes Friends education through consultations, programs and publications; and assists in the establishment of new Friends schools. friendscouncil.org
Friends Fiduciary Corporation (FFC), established in 1898, is a Quaker non-profit organization providing cost effective, professional, socially responsible investment management services exclusively to Friends meetings, churches, schools and organizations. The investment philosophy and shareholder activities reflect the importance of the environment, human rights, just wages, safe working conditions and good corporate governance. friendsfiduciary.org
Friends Historical Association (FHA) was formed in 1873 to study, preserve and publish material relating to the history of the Religious Society of Friends. It is international in membership and interests and is open to all. FHA hosts an annual meeting in the fall and conducts an historical pilgrimage in the spring to an area associated with the history of Quakerism. FHA publishes a semi-annual journal, Quaker History, with articles on Quaker contributions to issues such as social justice, education and literature. The journal also includes book and article reviews. quakerhistory.org
Friends Peace Teams (FPT), founded in the mid-1990s, works around the world to develop long term relationships with communities in conflict to create programs for peacebuilding, healing and reconciliation. Programs build on extensive Quaker experience, combining practical and spiritual aspects of conflict resolution and reconciliation. friendspeaceteams.org
Friends Services for the Aging (FSA), formed in 1991, is an association of Quaker-affiliated organizations and programs united by their Quaker values and continuing efforts to serve older adults on the basis of Friends’ belief in the dignity of all people. fsainfo.org
Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC) originated in 1937, at the Second World Conference of Friends, “to act in a consultative capacity to promote better understanding among Friends the world over.” Four cooperating offices cover Africa, the Americas, Asia, the West Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. FWCC’s World Office is in London. The Section of the Americas has staff and an office in Philadelphia. Through visitation and periodic gatherings, FWCC offers opportunity for religious fellowship among Friends throughout the world. Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), Section of the Americas, maintains a list of all active yearly meetings and their affiliations on its website. fwcc.org
National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund, begun in 1971, has a single purpose: to encourage Congress to pass a bill allowing individuals as a matter of conscience to redirect the portion of their federal taxes that goes to war, so as to fund non-war -related federal budget items. Friends in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting were instrumental in forming this organization. peacetaxfund.org
New Foundation Fellowship (NFF) exists to preach the Christian message that was proclaimed by the early Friends: “Christ has come to teach his People himself.” Beginning with important scholarship by Lewis Benson, the work of these Friends continues, as Friends share from study, worship and inter-visitation. nffquaker.org
Pendle Hill (PH) has been a center for spiritual retreat and engagement since 1930. Located in Wallingford, Pennsylvania, it offers hospitality, study, worship and other interaction. Not affiliated with any branch of Friends, it brings together the broad spectrum of Friends, as well as people of other religious affiliations. pendlehill.org
Quaker Earthcare Witness (QEW), formed in 1987, is a network of members of the Religious Society of Friends in North America and other like-minded people who are taking Spirit-led action to address ecological and related social crises. QEW emphasizes Quaker process and testimonies, continuing revelation and a deepening sense of spiritual connection with the natural world. quakerearthcare.org
Quaker Green Burials is a resource for cemetery management and a forum for discussion of our religious views on the disposition of human remains. quakergreenburials.org
Quaker House, in Fayetteville, NC, established in 1969, manifests the Friends peace testimony and provides counseling and support to members of the armed forces who question their role in the military. While its work provides the Fort Bragg community a place to address some of the challenges military families face, its service extends beyond the local area, partnering with other organizations that provide conscientious objection support to military personnel. quakerhouse.org
Quaker Information Center (QIC) offers a website gateway to Quaker heritage and modern Quakerism. It serves both the Quaker community and the general public in its effort to increase awareness of Friends and Quaker institutions. QIC began in Philadelphia, and relocated to the Earlham School of Religion in 2010. quakerinfo.org
Quaker Initiative to End Torture (QUIT), formed in 2005, is a collaborative effort to end torture as a practice, a tradition and a policy of governments. QUIT recognizes this work as the next great abolition movement in the United States. quit-torture-now.org
Quaker Religious Education Collaborative (QREC) is a grassroots network, begun in 2012, of Friends holding a sense of stewardship for life-long Quaker faith formation through religious education. The network brings together Friends from all branches of Quakerism to think anew about how to sustain religious education among Friends. quakers4re.org
Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) maintains houses in Geneva and New York to provide meeting places where UN diplomats, staff and nongovernmental partners can work on difficult issues in quiet diplomacy. Friends and other Friends organizations make use of the New York Quaker House facilities to learn about and participate in UN activities. quno.org
Quakers Uniting in Publications (QUIP), begun in 1983, is a network that supports Quaker publications and authors through annual meetings, cooperative marketing, publishing and assistance to Friends outside the United States. quakerquip.org
Quaker Universalist Fellowship (QUF), formed in 1980, is a gathering of Friends who work to foster understanding among Quakers and people from the diverse religious cultures which flourish in our globalized human community. It publishes a blog, pamphlets and other material. It is governed by a steering committee and is open to all interested people. universalistfriends.org
Quaker Voluntary Service (QVS) was formed in 2012 to support young adults as they develop leadership and other skills for the present and future of Friends through working in established service and social justice organizations. QVS partners with Friends meetings or churches in establishing Houses of Service in different cities in the United States. Fellows live together in community and have in-service opportunities to learn about Quakerism and social justice issues. quakervoluntaryservice.org
Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR), established in 1967, is a Quaker micro-credit organization that supports grassroots income-generating projects led by women in developing countries. It began as a project of Friends World Committee of Consultation, but became a separate non-profit organization in 1999. rswr.org
School of the Spirit (SoS), created in 1991, offers a ministry of prayer and learning devoted to strengthening participants as they listen and respond faithfully to the inward work of Christ. Its programs are rooted in the Quaker contemplative tradition. Begun as a project of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, it now has an independent board of Friends from across the United States. schoolofthespirit.org
Tract Association of Friends, has published calendars, pamphlets, essays and books on beliefs, concerns, history and practice, and refutations of unsound doctrines for the past 200 years. The Tract Association encourages Friends to compose material suitable for publication. tractassociation.org
