We are excited to invite your partnership in Rooted, Grounded, Growing, a $2.2M Campaign for Quaker Voluntary Service to build Spirit-led leaders for the future of Friends and the world.
Quaker Voluntary Service is the dream of Young Adult Friends and fellow seekers to re-enliven our prophetic tradition of service, recognizing its power to shape and transform lives. Prophetic service, as opposed to secular service, embodies hopefulness and imagination, and is rooted in a communal religious experience. In the Quaker tradition, there is a deep history of engaging in this type of service, from the workcamps of the 1940’s and 50’s to the formative experiences of Quakers active in the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 1960’s and 70’s.
In a time of perpetual war, violence, unprecedented greed, and the destruction of the earth, Quaker Voluntary Service is a living expression of a deeply rooted tradition.
Since 2012, QVS has grown to support more than 35 Fellows annually, expanded the capacity of over 60 site placement organizations, and actively partnered with 15 Quaker Meetings and Churches in five different cities. We have established a successful model that is grounded in Quaker faith and practice.
Our program attracts and keeps young adults within the Religious Society of Friends, while developing a new leadership pool to transform our society and the larger world. QVS is financially sound, with a model that has allowed us to grow quickly and successfully. Our alumni have gone on to continue their work for justice and to play key leadership roles in many meetings, non-profits, and Quaker organizations, infusing our Religious Society and the wider world with new life and vision.
At this time, the potential to deepen and expand the opportunity for Spirit-led service and leadership development is tremendous. We have grown consistently since our founding, expanding the numbers of participants, alumni, and partners each year.
With our expansion in numbers we have paid careful attention to the depth and quality of our program, investing resources to strengthen support for our Fellows, Quaker partners, and site placement organizations. The QVS financial model is uniquely efficient and strong.
Now is the time for investment funds to build the program and ensure the longevity of this opportunity for young adults yearning to serve and to explore the Quaker Way and their spiritual lives.
Goals of the Campaign
We are embarking on a campaign that reflects our multi-directional movement: a continued deepening of our roots in the legacy of Quaker service, staying grounded in our successful model, and growing in our reach and impact. We are at a pivotal moment and want to leverage the incredible groundwork that we have laid. You can learn more about each of these program areas by exploring our blog links below.
1. Annual Fund
Target Goal: $1,020,000
2. Program Empowerment Projects
Target Goal: $780,000
3. Planned Giving & Endowed Fellowships
Target Goal: $200,000
4. Campaign Costs
Target Goal: $200,000
“This year has taught me that I can have a “no more” line. This year told me that I can draw it. This year put the pen in my hand over and over again, [and] said, “go where you are led;” asked “is the spirit here;” asked “where are you going and how can I guide you?” I am learning to trust myself. I am learning that I am worth more than I have been treated, and that that is social justice. I am fighting in myself, in my house, and in the streets for a world that I want to live in.”
Claire Hannapel
Contact Claire, our Development & Outreach Coordinator, for more information about our Campaign: 404-600-1128 or [email protected].