Quaker Voluntary Service, Incorporated

Hi there! This September, I'll be starting a year of service through the Quaker Voluntary Service (QVS) for 2017-2018 in my hometown of Philadelphia, PA. QVS is a year-long service program that provides the space for its fellows to engage in social justice work with a network of support grounded in Quaker ideology. As a part of the program I will be living in intentional community with other fellows and working full-time as a Program Associate at Bread & Roses Community Fund.

Bread & Roses Community Fund is a unique partnership of donors and activists who share a vision for a just society in which power and resources are distributed equitably. Bread & Roses raises money from individual donors in the community to provide grants, technical assistance, and leadership development to constituent-led, grassroots, social change organizations in the Philadelphia region; these grants are raised and distributed by a cross-race, cross-class, inter-generational group of community members. Bread & Roses centers all of its work around its motto: change, not charity.

I am raising $2,000 to help with my living expenses and program costs for the year in the QVS program and hope to have the full amount completed by September 1st. This is only a small portion of the total cost of support QVS offers to me (including housing, food, medical care, utilities, bus pass, and mental health support, etc.)

If you feel comfortable doing so, you can donate via my GoFundMe; please note that there is a 8% service fee. You can also donate online at www.quakervoluntaryservice.org. Be sure to write “Lexi McMenamin” in the memo line, so it actually goes towards my fundraising goal. QVS is a registered 501(c)3 and all donations are eligible to be tax-deductible.

Alternatively, if you would like to avoid credit card processing fees so 100% of your donation will go to QVS, you can send a check with my name in the memo line to:
Quaker Voluntary Service
PO Box 8240
Atlanta, GA 31106

Thank you in advance for all your help!
More info on QVS: http://www.quakervoluntaryservice.org/
More info on Bread & Roses: http://breadrosesfund.org/

Who am I, and why am I asking you for money? 

I am Emily Whitted and in August I will begin my year of service with Quaker Voluntary Service  (QVS) in Philadelphia, PA. QVS fosters dynamic relationships of service, witness, and worship in a living Quaker faith. In a world oppressed by the powers of violence, domination, exclusion and fear, QVS empowers transformative partnerships in the work of liberation and justice.

I am choosing to spend a year in the QVS program because I found myself yearning for meaningful and transformational community fresh out of college. QVS will push me mentally and spiritually in many new ways, and I cannot wait to give a year of my time in service to a worthy non-profit. 

I will be working full time for Fair Food . This organization works to connect family farmers in Pennsylvania with consumers and businesses in Philadephia . My work with them as a QVS Fellow will allow this organization to further its mission and increase its capacity in ways that it would not otherwise be able to do. While I'll undergo many different projects, my primary project will be revamping their Double Dollars Program, which allows families of a certain socioeconomic status to purchase affordable, healthy, local food. 

When I'm not working at Fair Food,  I'm committing to living in an intentional community by sharing the upkeep of the house, cooking and eating meals, and exploring the Quaker tradition with the rest of the Philly Fellows.

 I am raising $2,000 to help with my living expenses and program costs for the year in the QVS program and hope to have the full amount completed by September 1st. This is only a small portion of the total cost of support QVS offers to me (including health insurance, food, utilities, bus pass, etc...), but every bit helps!

More questions? 

1) What is Quakerism, anyways? Isn't that like being Amish? 

A quick Quaker 101:
Quakerism is a religious tradition that believes that there is an element of God's spirit (an "Inner Light") in every human soul, and therefore all persons have inherent worth, independent of their gender, race, age, nationality, religion, and sexual orientation. Quakers oppose several things including sexism, racism, religious intolerance, warfare, and the death penalty, and this opposition comes from their "Inner Light" belief. Simplicity, pacifism, and inner revelation are long standing Quaker beliefs. Their religion does not consist of accepting specific beliefs or of engaging in certain practices; it involves each person's direct experience with God. Because of their beliefs, Quakers support social justice movements, which explains the formation of an organization like QVS.

2) Does this mean that you are now Quaker? 

You do not have to practice Quakerism already before doing QVS, but I am agreeing to open my mind and heart towards their belief system during my QVS year. This will be as much a spiritual journey for me as it will be an incredible year of service. 
 

3) Are there any perks to giving you my money? 

Yes!

I felt a little strange about simply asking for money without giving anything in return, so in the spirit of my site, Fair Food, you all will get a tiny gift after you donate. 
Besides my unending gratitude and a thank you note, you'll also get a hand-knit vegetable made by yours truly. 
Any donation of $15 or more will receive a random vegetable chosen by me. Donation of $25 or more get to choose the type of vegetable they will receive! 

Donation Information

If you find yourself called to donate towards my QVS year, you can donate in several ways. The first is using this GoFundMe page, but they do take a percentage of the donation for the service of the site. To ensure that all your money goes where you intended it to go, you can donate directly through the QVS page, linked here . Either way, I am so appreciative of any assistance that I receive! 

If your donation is $15 or more, I'll need a mailing address for your knitted vegetable. For donations over $25, here is the list of options to choose from!

Artichoke
Eggplant
Beetroot
Butternut Squash
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery 
Chili Pepper
Squash
Cucumber
Leek
Mushroom
Peas in a Pod
Pepper
Tomato
Radish 
Corn



Can't donate? Please share! Spreading the word through social media sites really helps my fundraising. 

In peace, 

Emily