QVS Receives Challenge Grant!

The board of Quaker Voluntary Service is pleased to announce that we are making great progress and moving forward with the launch of our first Quaker house of service in Atlanta, Georgia this Fall. We have news regarding applications for the first class of QVS volunteers, as well as an exciting opportunity provided by a major challenge grant in support of our fundraising efforts.

Call for Volunteers, Fall 2012 Atlanta

QVS has put out a call for the first class of QVS volunteers to begin service in late August 2012.  We have received an enthusiastic response so far. Might you or someone you know be called to be one of them?

QVS is open to any young person (age 21-35) who is interested in living in intentional Quaker community, sharing Quaker worship and process, and openly engaging questions of faith and service in the world.   The six QVS Atlanta volunteers will receive housing, a stipend for food, transportation and personal expenses, health insurance, training, and spiritual support from QVS. We will begin the process of reviewing and deciding on applications on April 1.  Please see www.quakervoluntaryservice.org/apply for details.

QVS Receives $20,000 Challenge Grant!

QVS has received a significant challenge grant of up to $10,000 a year for two years from Bill Graustein, a member of New Haven Meeting in New England Yearly Meeting.  Bill will match any gift of $250 or more on a dollar for dollar basis, thus doubling these gifts, up to $10,000 for this and the following year.

Bill served for many years as the national chairperson of the board of Public Allies, an extremely innovative and successful youth service and leadership development program that runs programs in more than twenty U.S. cities. As an active philanthropist, Bill is committed to helping Quaker Voluntary Service get off the ground. He shares the QVS vision of helping young people develop leadership skills as they prepare for lives of service, serving communities and helping to energize Quaker meetings and churches in the process.

Whether you have given to QVS previously or not, you can help us meet this challenge and raise an additional $20,000 for QVS in 2012 by making a gift of $250 or more.  For the many who have already given to QVS, please know that this show of support was critical to securing this challenge grant from Bill. To make a donation, send checks to Quaker Voluntary Service, 668 Elbert St SW Atlanta GA 30310, or give online at https://www.wepay.com/donations/quakervoluntaryservice.  If you have any questions, please contact Christina Repoley, christina@quakervoluntaryservice.org, or call her at 404-840-3005.

We are deeply grateful for your support, enthusiasm, and prayers as Quaker Voluntary Service launches this national effort through our first program in Atlanta this Fall.

In the Light,

John Helding, Clerk of the QVS Board of Directors