Dear Friends of the Americas Section,
I send you greetings of brotherhood and sisterhood in the love of Lord Jesus, hoping our lives may reflect the desire to carry a message of hope and love.
In my capacity as Clerk of the Americas Section, I would like to share themes I am considering for the development of the next several years. I propose to integrate both current challenges and the historical legacy of our faith, strengthening our identity and mission in the Americas Section of the FWCC.
I am excited about the reconfirmation of our testimonies as a Quaker faith, including new opportunities to meet and learn together as Friends. The Quaker Connect program had a productive first year and we are working on the second cohort. We are also looking forward to World Quaker Day and Global Worship hosted by our section, both in October. In the next several years, I see a need for us to be a prophetic voice for justice, peace, human rights and environmental stewardship. I am eager to see us foster spaces for intercultural and theological dialogue, ensuring the translation and accessibility of materials in the languages and cultural contexts of our communities. I believe in the formation and participation of youth, women, and indigenous peoples in decision-making, ensuring equitable representation at all levels.
I am also committed to guaranteeing the financial, technological, and human resource foundation of our mission through appropriate funding, virtual platforms, and resource management training. You can join us on this part of our plan by supporting us with a financial contribution today.
I propose these themes be woven into a plan to be implemented in phases: Foundation, Consolidation, Expansion, Midterm Evaluation, and Projection and Renewal. I am convinced that renewing a Strategic Plan for the next five years will allow our Section to move forward with a shared vision, rooted in our principles, legacy, and history, and capable of responding to the diverse realities of the Americas.
We need your help to sustain us as we begin a new chapter as a Section. Thank you for your contribution to building bridges and changing lives among Friends from the Arctic to the Andes.
Please make any gift you are able to - it will be valued and appreciated, and it will make a difference in helping FWCC continue to offer free bridge-building resources to Friends everywhere.
Donate NowWith fraternal love,
Nelson Ayala, Clerk, Section of the Americas
Donate Now
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Mailing Address
Friends World Committee for Consultation Section of the Americas
PO Box 925
Voorhees, NJ 08043
Sustainers
Help your support of FWCC go further, while making contributing easier. Consider becoming an FWCC Sustainer with our automated giving program. When you register, your gift is transferred automatically from your bank or credit card to the FWCC on a monthly or quarterly basis. With this program you can eliminate check writing, bank fees and postage costs.
Advantages
- You provide FWCC with steady income all year long
- You receive only one appeal letter a year
- You can spread your tax-deductible contribution over the entire year
- We reduce our administrative costs for fundraising and processing donations
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the automatic gift plan work?
You can have a set amount transferred from your bank account, or from your VISA, Mastercard, or Discover card to FWCC on a monthly or quarterly basis.
How can I increase or decrease my gift amount?
Just contact FWCC and tell us your new amount.
Will I have a record of my contributions?
Besides your monthly checking account statement showing the date and amount of the transfer to FWCC, we will send you a year-end statement listing your donations.
What if I change my mind?
Just write us if you want to stop the automatic transfers or if you move or change banks. To change or cancel authorization, please let us know 15 days in advance of a scheduled transfer date.
How much can I give each month?
Any amount, but the minimum for processing efficiency is US$15 per month.
Can I donate from outside the United States?
We can accept international credit card transactions. Direct bank transfers must be drawn from US banks.
Charitable IRA Rollover/Qualified Charitable Distribution
A TAX-SAVING WAY TO SUPPORT FWCC
If you are 70½ years old or older, you can take advantage of a simple way to support FWCC and reduce your taxable income at the same time, even if you don’t itemize your deductions on your tax return.
At the end of 2015, legislation was enacted making the “IRA Charitable Rollover” a permanent gift option. With this strategy you can give to FWCC or other qualified charities directly from your IRA without having to pay income tax on the distribution. This is especially important now that the standard deduction has doubled, since many older taxpayers will no longer benefit from itemizing their deductions, including charitable contributions.
If you have not taken your required minimum distribution for the year, an IRA charitable rollover gift can satisfy all or part of that requirement. You can designate the distribution to one organization or split it between several, and these transfers generate neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you realize a tax benefit even if you are using the standard deduction.
One catch: to make an IRA charitable rollover gift you must be at least 70 ½, and you must arrange with your IRA custodian or financial institution to make the gift directly to FWCC or another charity—you cannot first take the distribution from your IRA and then distribute the proceeds yourself. If you are interested in knowing more and/or would like to take advantage of this strategy for giving to FWCC, please contact Evan Welkin at evanw@fwccamericas.org to discuss the simple steps involved.