Collaboratives bring Friends together across Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) around shared interests, concerns, and leadings. PYM Friends work together on matters that are important to them, including care for the Earth, ending gun violence, and spiritual formation. Each collaborative grows from the experiences and interests of the Friends who take part care for them.
All Friends in PYM are welcome to participate in an existing collaborative or start a new one. Friends who are not ready to participate in a collaborative can still support its activities by attending events, reading updates, or sharing information with others.
Collaboratives share newsletters, offer programs, host events, and provide updates throughout the year. In 2026, active collaboratives include Addressing Racism, Eco-Justice, First Contact Reconciliation, Friends Ending Gun Violence, India Friends, Middle East, Spiritual Formation, and Quakers Ending Mass Incarceration.
Some collaboratives are hosting events in the coming weeks, giving Friends an opportunity to learn more about their activities and the concerns they are addressing.
On October 22, the Eco-Justice Collaborative, together with the Climate Witness Stewards, will offer the Meetinghouse Carbon Reduction Webinar. The program will share ways meetings can work toward reducing their carbon emissions.
On October 28, Quakers Ending Mass Incarceration will host a virtual meeting to discuss the collaborative’s current activities and plans for the future.
These are just some of the opportunities ahead. Friends can visit the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting community calendar to find additional events as they are scheduled. To learn more about a collaborative, Friends can visit its webpage or contact the group’s clerk.
Friends who are unsure where to begin can contact Claire Kinnel, Community Engagement Coordinator, at ckinnel@pym.org.
