Who We Are

The Friends Ending Gun Violence Collaborative (FEGV) was approved by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in 2023 and invites all individuals and meetings in the Yearly Meeting to build a network of Friends to bring an end to gun violence in our communities.  We believe that our actions to end gun violence are a contemporary expression of our historic Peace Testimony.

FEGV relates to other gun violence prevention organizations to understand the issue and to recommend collective action.  FEGV works with Quaker Action Mid-Atlantic Region (QAMAR), a 501-C4 organization, which educates and influences legislators about this issue.

FEGV has a unique partnership with Heeding God’s Call, a faith based not for profit organization that seeks to end gun violence by bringing awareness and channeling action among meetings, churches, synagogues, and mosques in local communities.  Heeding God’s Call is the offspring of the peace conference of the same name held at Fourth and Arch Street Meeting House and organized by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting and other historic peace churches in the region in 2008.

What We Do

FEGV provides tools and templates for meetings and quarters to use in their local communities to raise awareness about gun violence and take concrete steps to end it through public witness.  The collaborative is also a collecting place for meetings to share their work in their local communities.  We recently shared a letter to all monthly and quarterly meetings in PYM encouraging them to take action.

What You Can Do

• Learn about the issue as an individual and help the meeting learn
• Bring this matter to your peace and social concerns committee, monthly meeting, or quarterly meeting
• Approve a minute of support and send a copy to FEGV
• Write letters to the editor of local, regional, and national papers
• Express yourself and your commitment on social media
• Hold a public gun violence awareness day, Memorial to the Lost, vigil, march, witness in your state capital, etc.

Get Involved

Friends Ending Gun Violence Collaborative invites you to sign up below to receive periodic communications, requests for assistance, opportunities for involvement, and other notices.  Please send any communications that your meeting creates (letters to the editor, Memorials to the Lost, vigils, etc.) to our co-clerk, Martha, at FEGVClerk@pym.org.  Post your future events on the PYM Calendar.

Check the PYM calendar for events hosted by FEGV and other meetings.