The Midwest Match has ended.
Over 32 supporters helped us surpass our goal of raising $4,000. Individuals and groups are still welcome to contribute towards the QVS general fund to support our regional program in Minneapolis/St. Paul and national fellowship. Visit this page for more ways to give.
Introducing the QVS Midwest Match
We are so excited to announce a special, regional matching challenge for gifts to QVS from supporters who reside in or are connected with the Midwest. Thanks to a generous group of Friends, gifts from new donors or increased gifts from long standing donors in this region are matched, and any new or increased monthly gifts are double-matched up to $4,000.
Why are we introducing a regional matching challenge?
In 2018, QVS expanded to the Twin Cities — our fifth program city and very first program city in the Midwest. This expansion followed one of the best recruitment seasons in QVS’ short history. In the years since, we’ve been able to grow our program and presence, but need more investment and connections across this great region to continue to grow our impact.
With your help and investment, we hope to make a lasting impact on the Religious Society of Friends and in young adults’ spiritual seeking and community within the Midwest.
Upcoming Twin Cities Event: QVS Alumni Panel
Wednesday, Feb 2nd | 7PM CT
Join us on February 2nd to hear from four QVS alums about life after the QVS year, and what the impact of this experience has been for these young adults.
QVS Twin Cities: By-the-Numbers
Years in Twin Cities
Current Fellows
Alumni
Friends Meetings & Church Partners
Local Friends Involved
Site Placement Partners
The Impact of QVS on…
Young Adult Alumni
We have supported 18 young adults in their spiritual and professional growth. As our Alumni cohort continues to grow, we get the chance to see farther along the horizon of our program’s impact. After QVS, roughly one in four Fellows are offered full-time jobs with their site placements. Other Fellows begin work at Quaker institutions like Earlham College or attend graduate school for social work, law, and medicine. The QVS program equips young adults with skills in vocational discernment and practicing their faith in community. Many Alumni are still engaged with local meetings, becoming members and serving on committees, and offering feedback on making a more welcoming environment for other young adults.
Local Quakers & the Religious Society
As a national Quaker organization, we create an opportunity for Quakers to be in relationship with each other as they work to collaborate and support each year’s cohort of young adult Fellows. In the Twin Cities, three Friends meetings — Minneapolis Friends Meeting, Prospect Hill Friends Meeting, and Twin Cities Friends Meeting — jointly hold the QVS program under their spiritual care. More recently, we also began building connections with Rochester (Minnesota) Friends Meeting and Laughing Waters.
Individual Friends from host meetings and churches serve on the Local Support Committee (LSC) to share in the work of hospitality, housing, event planning, and more. Plus, each Fellow is assigned a Spiritual Nurturer to support their discernment and reflection throughout the QVS Year. We estimate over 30 Friends have been and continue to be engaged in the QVS Twin Cities program in the past four years.
Service and Community-Based Organizations
Since our expansion to the Twin Cities in 2018, we have partnered with 17 different local service and community organizations. These include organizations like: Bridging, Our Saviour’s Housing, In the Heart of the Beast, Minnesota Interfaith Power and Light, Friends for a NonViolent World, TakeAction Minnesota, AMAZEWorks, Friends School of Minnesota, Nonviolent Peaceforce, Headwaters Foundation, Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina, and Rainforest Action Network.
Learn more about the City Coordinator Role
Stories from QVS Twin Cities
A Reawakening in the Twin Cities
Photo: A potluck hosted by the Local Support Committee in the Twin Cities last year. Local enthusiasm for QVS kept the door open for a possible return to the Twin CitiesLast Spring, the QVS Board of Directors made the difficult decision to pause the program in...
The 2024-2025 Fellow Cohort
Photo: The QVS Fellows (from left to right top to bottom): Kateri, Aaditya, Atuhaire, Michael, Paloma, Palmo, Salem, Solange, Edward, Anna, Luai, Nora, Abbie, Gabriel, Gaven, Susan, and Lucas.We’re so excited to introduce you to the 2024-2025 QVS Fellows! ______ We...
Pausing QVS in the Twin Cities
Read below for a letter from Executive Director Hilary Burgin and Board Clerk Damon Motz-Storey on QVS's decision to pause programing in the Twin Cities. Dear Friends, This is a special time of the year for us in the northern hemisphere, when we get to watch the light...