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AFSC Hits Hard Times

Barre, Vermont - November 22, 2009

The American Friends Service Committee, otherwise known as the Quakers, is considered the oldest peace organization in the country. It dates back through the 19th century, but the Friends have fallen on hard times, leaving their most well-known leader in Vermont to regroup.

Joseph Gainza was warmly greeted at the Old Labor Hall in Barre last week. Ever since the days of the anti-Vietnam war protests, Gainza has led the American Friends Service Committee in Vermont, organizing and taking part in demonstrations across the state.

This was a time for him and others to recall the old times and talk about the future. The Friends are under pressure. The AFSC has lost half of its private donations nationwide, down from 47-million dollars to 24-million, causing layoffs on the state level. Ironically, some of the funding fall off appears to be not only the result of the recession, but the election of Barack Obama, leaving the impression among peace activists that their battle was won.

Gainza says he'll keep the battle going through a new organization."And so Vermont Action for Peace is a vehicle in order to bring those people together to continue working on issues such as the Afghan and Iraq wars, US military budgets, a militarized US foreign policy and issues of justice, like economic justice," Gainza said.

Helping to keep the peace movement alive is the Peace and Justice Center, which recently moved to the Burlington waterfront. "The Peace and Justice Center obviously was really sad to see AFSC pull out of Vermont. It has been a long-standing partner with them. And really, we're excited that Joseph Gainza is gong to be continuing to do some of this work, and we here are very excited about continuing to partner with him," said the center's Colin Robinson.

It means that the peace movement in Vermont will keep on going, in spite of its financial challenges.

Andy Potter - WCAX News