Image:AFSC-Logo.gif
The '''American Friends Service Committee''' (AFSC) is a Religious_Society_of_Friends (''Quaker'') affiliated organization which works for Social_justice, Peace and reconciliation, abolition of the Death_penalty, and Human_rights, and provides humanitarian relief. The group was founded in 1917 as a combined effort by American members of the Religious Society of Friends and assisted Civilian victims of War.
Because Quakers traditionally oppose Violence in all of its forms and therefore refuse to serve in the Military, the AFSC's original mission was to provide Conscientious_objectors (COs) to war with a constructive alternative to military service. In 1947 AFSC received the Nobel_Peace_Prize along with the British Friends Service Council, now called Quaker_Peace_and_Social_Witness, on behalf of all Quakers worldwide.
==History==
In April 1917 -- days after the United_States joined World_War_I and declared war on Germany and its allies -- a group of Quakers met in Philadelphia to discuss the pending Military_draft -- and how it would affect members of Peace_churches such as Quakers, Mennonites, Brethren, and the Amish. They developed ideas for alternative service that could be done directly in the battle zones of northern France.
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They also developed plans for dealing with the United_States_Army, since it was very inconsistent in its dealing with religious objectors to previous wars. Although legally, members of pacifist churches were exempt from the draft, individual state draft boards interpreted the law in a variety of ways. Many Quakers and other COs were ordered to report to army camps for military service. Some COs, unaware of the significance of reporting for duty, found that this was interpreted by the military as willingness to fight. One of the AFSC's first tasks was to identify CO's, find the camps where they were located, and then visit them to provide spiritual guidance and moral support. In areas where the pacifist churches were more well known (such as Pennsylvania), a number of draft boards were willing to assign COs to the AFSC for alternative service.
In addition to conducting alternative service programs for COs, the AFSC collected relief in the form of food, clothing, and other supplies for Displaced_persons in France. Quakers were asked to collect old and make new clothing; to grow Fruits and Vegetables, can them, and send them to the AFSC headquarters in Philadelphia, AFSC then shipped them to France. The AFSC also sent young women and men to work in France, where they worked with British Quakers to provide relief and medical care to refugees, repair and rebuild homes, and they jointly founded a maternity Hospital.
After the end of the war in 1918, the AFSC's began working in Russia, Serbia, and Poland with Orphans and with the victims of Famine and disease, and in Germany and Austria, where they set up kitchens to feed hungry children. Eventually AFSC was chartered by President_Hoover to provide the United States sponsored relief to Germans.
During the 1930s and 1940s, the AFSC helped refugees escape from Nazi_Germany, provided relief for children on both sides of the Spanish_Civil_War, and provided relief to refugees in Vichy_France. After World_War_II ended, they did relief and reconstruction work after in Europe, Japan, India, and China. In 1947 they worked to resettle refugees from the Partition_of_India, and in the Gaza_Strip.
As the Cold_War escalated, the AFSC was involved in relief and service efforts around the world in conflicts including the Korean_War, the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, and the 1962 Algerian_war_of_independence. Beginning in 1966, the AFSC developed programs to help children and provided medical supplies and Artificial_limbs to civilians in both North_Vietnam and South_Vietnam. During the Nigerian-Biafran War, the AFSC provided relief to civilians on both the Nigerian and Biafran sides of the conflict.
In the United States, the AFSC continued the Quaker tradition of support for the Civil_rights_movement, and the rights of African-Americans, Native Americans, Mexican_Americans, and Asian_Americans, including providing support for Japanese-Americans during their internment during World War II. The AFSC also has worked extensively as part of the Peace_movement, especially work to stop the production and deployment of Nuclear_weapons.
==Current Work==
Today the AFSC has more than 200 staff working in dozens of programs throughout the United_States and works in 22 other nations. In the United States AFSC has divided the country into 9 regions, each of which runs programs related to peace, immigrant rights, Restorative_justice, civil rights, and other causes. AFSC's international programs often work in conjunction with the Canadian_Friends_Service_Committee, Quaker_Peace_and_Social_Witness (formerly the British Friends Service Council), and Quaker_Service_Australia.
The AFSC is still based in Philadelphia in a building attached to the Cherry_Street_Meetinghouse (one of the oldest churches in the United States).
Among the many ongoing programs of AFSC, in the aftermath of the 2003_Iraq_War, AFSC launched the Eyes Wide Open Exhibit. This exhibit travels around the United States displaying in public spaces one pair of combat boots for each American killed in the ongoing fighting in Iraq. Additionally, more than 1000 pairs of shoes are displayed as a reminder of the Iraqis killed in the conflict. The exhibit is intended as a reminder of the human costs of war.
AFSC is also working to provide relief to victims of the 2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake in Indonesia.
AFSC also provides administrative support to the Quaker_United_Nations_Office (QUNO) in New_York_City. This office is the official voice of Quakerism in the United_Nations headquarters. There is a second QUNO office in Geneva,_Switzerland, support for that office is provided by European Friends. QUNO is over seen by the Friends_World_Committee_for_Consultation.
==See also==
*Quaker Peace Testimony
==External links==
* American Friends Service Committee
* Quaker Peace and Social Witness (formerly the ''British Friends Service Council'')
* Canadian Friends Service Committee
* Quaker Service Australia
* Quaker Volunteer Service
* The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
* Friends Committee on National Legislation
* Quaker United Nations Offices
* Council for European Affairs
* Nobel Committee information on the 1947 Peace Prize
* Eyes Wide Open Exhibit Home Page
* Northeast Ohio AFSC
Category:U.S._charities
Category:Nobel_Peace_Prize_winners
Category:Philadelphia,_Pennsylvania
Category:Quakerism
Category:Religious_service_organizations
Category:Peace_organizations