Quaker.ca

91A Fourth Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1S 2L1 CANADA Phone: 613-235-8553 or 888-296-3222 / Fax: 613-235-1753 / [email protected] / www.quaker.ca

November 2013
Dear Friends,
I begin this request for donations with a disclosure. For many years, I did not give money to
Canadian Yearly Meeting. I was active in our small worship group and in Western Half-Yearly
Meeting, but I did not feel much connection either with my Monthly Meeting, 650 km away, or
with the Yearly Meeting, which we attended every four years. It was not until our children – then
young teenagers – told us that they wanted to see their Yearly Meeting friends every year that we
began to work CYM into our holiday travel plans.
As I became more involved in CYM, I became more aware of the CYM work from which my
family had been benefiting all along. I learned that CYM is the foundation for committees
that serve all of us, and for outside links that bring our voice to interfaith work in Canada
and to Quaker work around the world. We decided to make regular donations to CYM. But
how much should we give? CYM was not an external charity. CYM was us, and we wanted to
know our fair share.
Today I know that if all adult members or attenders involved in a Canadian Monthly Meeting
were to donate $52 to CYM in 2013 (and donate to their Monthly Meetings as usual) we would
meet our proposed – but deficit – budget for 2014. If we could increase our average donation to
$75 apiece, it would not be a deficit budget. If we could maintain an equivalent level of giving
over time, we would not have to look for ways to cut our budget.
CYM knowingly decided on a period of deficit financing to support the Quaker Education
and Youth Secretary programs, but we are reaching the end of that time, and must either
increase income or decrease expenses.
We have a well-established Quaker Education Program with many fine materials that have been
developed by the Coordinator. Our Youth Secretary Program has engendered new levels of
enthusiasm and participation among younger Friends, demonstrated by the success of the Youth
Challenge at CYM 2013. Although both the Quaker Education Program Coordinator and Youth
Secretary positions will soon be vacant, both staff people have left us with a legacy of resources
and interest that we want to maintain. Our new website is already enhancing our ability to
communicate among ourselves and to draw in inquirers, but it needs more development.
Quakers across Canada differ in their financial situations. Some of us can give more than the
average amount, others less, and we are all equally valued as Friends. Today I ask you to ask
yourself what CYM means to you, and what is the right amount for you to give.
A return CYM-addressed envelope and donor voucher are enclosed, along with the new Quaker
Learning Series pamphlet by Caroline Balderston Parry, The I Don’t Know Place. Alternatively,
you may donate on-line a
If you are not a monthly donor, please consider becoming one. Being able to count on regular
contributions saves administration costs and helps us plan for the year. Monthly donation
amounts can be changed at any time.
I thank you for your past and future support of our Canadian Quaker community.
In Friendship,
Susan Stevenson
Presiding Clerk, Canadian Yearly Meeting
P.S. Please consider supporting Canadian Yearly Meeting in 2013 with a donation. Remember, a
donation of only $52 by every adult member and attender would let us meet our 2014 deficit
budget. A gift of $75 apiece would erase the deficit from our 2014 budget. Your financial
contribution sustains our spiritual home and all the good work done by its committees and staff.
Thank you.

Source: http://quaker.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Fundraising-letter-2013.pdf