Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

Grants

Ujima Friends Sewing for Africa

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Since 2019, members of the Ujima Friends Peace Center have partnered with Sankofa Artisan Guild to make reusable, environmentally friendly menstrual pads, pouches, and under garments for African girls’ whose educations are compromised due to “period poverty.” The group, now known as the PanAfrican Sisterhood Health Initiative (PASHI), is led by a group of Black Women elders most of who are community workers, keepers of the culture, educators, activists, counselors and lovers of the arts. The Friends Foundation on Aging supports funding for the project.

The Ujima Friends Peace Center provides the space, sewing machines, and willing hearts and hands to this project. The project was renamed by Maulana Ron Karenga, the creator of Kwanzaa, who thought the project was fabulous and worthy of the name Pan African Sisterhood Health Initiative (PASHI).

A picture of some of the girls who have received the pads.

Each shipment has included 300 reusable kits with purses to carry them in and masks.  The countries served so far: Cuba, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Southern Sudan, and Tanzania.

Dr. Ayesha Imani, Head of School/Founder of the Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School and member of Ujima Friends Meeting, shares about PASHI:

The fact that we get elders and young people together to sew, eat, and share stories while making menstrual pads for girls in Africa is really wonderful. We have also been making and sending masks. The latest addition to the project is the birthing pads and bags that we are sending to help fight against infant mortality and maternal morbidity, increasing sanitation in the birthing process.

Others are welcome to join in sewing together for Africa and the diaspora. The project is held at the Peace Center every Wednesday from 10am – 2pm. There is limited space, but if interested in visiting please contact Dr. Imani. If you have a sewing machine, you are welcome to bring it! There are plans to expand the project into Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School and Imhotep Institute Charter High School.

Friends can visit the Ujima Friends Peace Center website to learn more:  www.ujimafriends.org

Donations can be sent to:Ujima Friends Peace Center,PO Box 50647,Philadelphia, PA

Photos courtesy of Dr. Ayesha Imani

Birmingham Meeting Has a New Sign

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Birmingham Meeting needed a new sign as the old wooden one was deteriorated and so small as to be difficult to read by the ever faster traffic on Birmingham Rd. We were concerned that the old style sign made us look like museum rather than a living and active faith community. [Read more…] about Birmingham Meeting Has a New Sign

Workshop on Gathering Virtually

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A workshop was held on Saturday May 7, and we returned to the questions we’ve held since 2020 about navigating the new normal of life through the ongoing pandemic. We highly recommend to readers the guidance on virtual gathering authored by Emily Provance, a Traveling Minister of New York Yearly Meeting. [Read more…] about Workshop on Gathering Virtually

Inviting Young Adult Voices into PYM’s Granting Ministry

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Photo Above: top left to bottom right: Lucas Richie (staff), Meg Rose (staff), Sarah Ennis, Yelena Forrester, Afroza Hossain, Naomi Madaras, Liana Irvine, Jeremy Graf Evans, Hanae Togami, Afiya Johnson-Thornton

From 2020-2021, PYM staff organized a program to learn how to better engage and include young adults in PYM’s granting witness. During the year-long experimental program, eight Quakers aged 18-35 (YAFs) served on one of PYM’s granting groups and then provided feedback on their experience to PYM’s Granting Committee.

[Read more…] about Inviting Young Adult Voices into PYM’s Granting Ministry

Old Committee, New Name: The Quaker Fund for Indigenous Communities Granting Group

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After a year-long discernment process, members of PYM’s Indian Committee, with approval from PYM’s Granting Committee and Administrative Council, have agreed upon a new name, the Quaker Fund for Indigenous Communities Granting Group. The granting group’s statement below has been shared with past members, past grant recipients, Quakers, and organizations with related missions:

[Read more…] about Old Committee, New Name: The Quaker Fund for Indigenous Communities Granting Group

Apply for a Travel & Witness Grant at the March 1 Deadline

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The Travel and Witness Granting Group (TWGG) provides grants to support active service and witness by individuals following leadings of the Spirit.

The group has made fewer grants since March 2020 as a result of the pandemic’s impact on travel plans and gatherings.  This decrease means that the group has more funds available for future grants, and therefore welcomes applications for creative ideas that involve connecting with other communities through travel or witness. [Read more…] about Apply for a Travel & Witness Grant at the March 1 Deadline

Shoemaker Fund Enables Monthly Meeting Tech Support Grants

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Update: 2/2/2022: There has been a rapid response to the granting program for Monthly Meetings and all seven of the monthly meeting grants are now allocated. However the Membership Development Granting Group is currently accepting outreach project grant requests for up to $1000. To pursue this please complete the Membership Development Grant Application Form (.pdf).

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting is inviting monthly meetings to apply for $1,000 grants for needed technology purchases and implementations to support outreach/in-reach goals, and virtual or hybrid meeting capacity-building.

There is no grant deadline. Eligible projects will be funded on a first-come-first-served basis according to when they are received. The application process for the grants is simple; meeting representatives should fill out the form at the end of this news story. Only one project per meeting will be funded. [Read more…] about Shoemaker Fund Enables Monthly Meeting Tech Support Grants

Grants for Quarterly Meetings – With Thanks to the Shoemaker Fund

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Last fall, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting received a grant from the Thomas H. and Mary Williams Shoemaker Fund to support hybrid meetings and meeting outreach. A portion of the grant provides $13,000 as financial support to PYM’s quarterly meetings. Each of PYM’s 13 quarterly meetings is eligible to apply for a $1000 grant. Quarterly and monthly meetings do excellent work that taps into Friends’ talents and meetings’ needs, so it is a pleasure to be able to support them through this Shoemaker funding. [Read more…] about Grants for Quarterly Meetings – With Thanks to the Shoemaker Fund

Pastoral Care Resources for Individuals and Emergency Grants for Monthly Meetings

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The Hurricane Ida Storm damaged meeting properties and placed many Friends in our PYM Community in precarious situations. While no injuries have been reported, many meetings sustained multiple tree losses, flooding, and significant building damage.  A member of Plymouth Friends experienced damage to her home.  Upper Dublin Meeting had many trees fall in their driveway and burial grounds, with estimated damages to the meetinghouse and property of $60,000.  As of this date, many are involved in cleaning up in the areas devastated by the storm’s tornados and floods. [Read more…] about Pastoral Care Resources for Individuals and Emergency Grants for Monthly Meetings

Minute of Thanks from Millville Monthly Meeting

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In March 2021, Millville Monthly Meeting received a grant from the Quaker Buildings & Programs granting group to address pressing issues with their historic meetinghouse. While not a requirement, grant recipients from time to time reach out to express their appreciation for support they have received. There are many difficult aspects of grantmaking, nothing more so than having to make hard decisions with limited funds available. Getting to celebrate successful projects like this one is a joy. PYM’s grantmaking is a community process; it’s PYM members that choose to serve on granting groups that enables PYM to continue to make grants on behalf of everyone in the yearly meeting. [Read more…] about Minute of Thanks from Millville Monthly Meeting

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