‘Whatever we get, we give’

Gwynedd Friends Meeting raises $30,000 for UNHCR to support Syrian refugee families

As a practicing Quaker, Carol Shearon of Gwynedd Friends Meeting has always felt called to help others in her community, even when that community extends far beyond geographical or political boundaries. This is why, last spring, Shearon decided to aid Syrians fleeing their homeland in the midst of civil war, a crisis that has displaced more than 13.5 million people throughout the past six years.

“I’ve been given so much in my life that I didn’t deserve — the gift of being born a woman in the United States, the gift of being born into a loving family,” said Shearon. “And I realized that these refugees didn’t deserve to be born in a country where they’d have to flee for their lives. It became clear to me that they had done nothing wrong.”

After doing some research, Shearon decided to make a personal contribution to USA for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, which leads efforts to protect and provide food, water and protection services for people in Syria. Shortly after, she was notified by the organization of a new project

called Lifeline.

Lifeline is a cash assistance program for poverty-stricken refugee families who have fled their homeland and are living in Jordan and Lebanon — and therefore are living outside the protection and without the supplies given to refugees within the UN camps.

“This is not a vouchers program. These families are given cash once a month to use on whatever they need for their family, and to me that is respectful; there is dignity in that,” said Shearon, explaining why the program appealed to her.

With 1.1 million refugees living in Lebanon, more than a quarter of the country’s population, cash-based intervention allows Syrians to become contributing members of their hosts’ economy, therefore easing assimilation and fostering financial independence.

“This regular monthly cash reduces the fear of homelessness and improves refugees’ standing in the community and has a positive effect on the economy with minimal distribution costs,” said Deputy Executive Director of USA for UNHCR Jennifer Patterson.

Shearon, who has been a Gwynedd Friends Meeting member for more than 30 years, quickly realized Lifeline aligned itself well with the mission of the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization that promotes peace and social justice.

“The AFSC was originally formed to help refugees in World War I,” said Shearon.

In 1917, at its inception, it sent young men and women to Europe to care for refugee children with the mission of rebuilding war-ravaged communities.

With that in mind, Shearon brought all of our research, along with her concerns, to the Gwynedd Friends Meeting for Business, held inside its church on DeKalb Pike. The Meeting responded to Shearon’s presentation on the program with its full support and enthusiasm and two months later, at the June 2016 Meeting for Business, determined a goal of raising six refugee families above the poverty line ($1,776 a year can get a refugee family of five above the poverty line), creating a financial goal of $10,200.

Since then, the church has been actively fundraising, sending monthly checks straight over so that families can access donations as quickly as possible.

“I’ve been given so much in my life that I didn’t deserve — the gift of being born a woman in the United States, the gift of being born into a loving family. And I realized that these refugees didn’t deserve to be born in a country where they’d have to flee for their lives.” — Carol Shearon Practicing Quaker Gwynedd Friends Meeting

“Whatever we get, we give,” said Shearon.

Most recently, Shearon organized the congregation’s Goods and Services Auction, which donated 100 percent of the proceeds to Lifeline. The auction, which featured ballroom dance lessons, a Fender banjo, and a week at a vacation home in New Hampshire, brought in more than $6,000 alone.

“We are grateful for Carol for organizing an auction and to those from the Gwynedd Monthly Meeting Religious Society of Friends who participated and donated to UNHCR’s Lifeline program,” said Patterson.

“The donations raised through this auction can change a family’s life and will make an immediate difference. We thank Carol and the Quakers for addressing this critical need,” she continued.

In less than one year, Gwynedd Friends Meeting has well surpassed their original goal of $10,200 — the organization has raised around $30,000, which can raise 17 families of five above the poverty line for a full year.

Shearon is overjoyed by her community’s response and generosity to their program.

Their efforts have even gained the attention of another local Friends Meeting in Chestnut Hill, who are now considering getting involved with a similar project.

“This project has reminded members and attenders that ‘our community’ extends far beyond any geographical or political boundaries.

Even as time is carved from busy schedules and physical labor is called for, there is a spiritual lightness and joy present for those involved,” said Shearon.

Shearon is in the process of arranging a representative of UNHCR to come out and speak to Gwynedd Friends Meeting.