The Friends Neighborhood (the Guild) was founded in 1879 and is a settlement house and neighborhood center. It exists to serve and respond to the needs of the people in its community, particularly those people who are less able to help themselves. Pursuant to that mission, the Guild provides social serves, seeks to improve the quality of life of its neighbors, and assists in the development of leadership and organization through which community residents may more effectively pursue their common objectives.

Underlying the endeavor to accomplish this mission is the recognition that we must continually seek to improve our understanding of the root causes of the problems which we strive to address, and ultimately address these root causes as the human needs which result from them.

While the mission of the Guild may change over time, as the needs and priorities of its community may change, its underlying premise remains constant: The Guild exists to serve the needs of its entire community, and especially those less able to help themselves.

Description:
Currently, the Guild runs an After School Enrichment Program (ASEP) and summer Freedom School program for children, has a full-service Neighborhood Energy Center which offers clients assistance with energy bills, rent rebates, and conversation education, as well as a Food Program and a Family Services program which includes truancy counseling and court accompaniment. Adult education is ongoing, as are classes and events through FNG's Community Learning Center. There is also a vibrant volunteer program.

History:
FNG was founded as Friends Mission #1 in 1879 near it's current location at 701 N. 8th Street, in lower N. Philadelphia, by Hicksite Quakers. Originally intended to provide "spiritual, moral, and life skills" education to recently immigrated Europeans, it has evolved over the years to be a "one stop shop" Settlement House and community center, offering a wide range of services and opportunities to its neighbors.

Contact person: Volunteer Coord., (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (215) 923-2502

Address:

701 N. 8th Street Philadelphia, PA 19123 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.friendsneighborhoodguild.org

Directions:

Directions via public transit: Septa's 47 bus runs north on 7th Street and south on 8th street. The Guild is located at 8th and Fairmount, about three blocks north of Spring Garden, and is also walkable from the Fairmount stop. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: 47, 7th and Fairmount (N) or 8th and Fairmount (S), 1 minute walk For maps or information, please see http://www.septa.com/

Miscellaneous Information

Are court referrals welcomed?
	No