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Sudan is facing the world’s largest displacement crisis, with an estimated 12 million people forced to flee their homes since the start of the war. Congress must do everything possible to peacefully end the conflict and ensure vital humanitarian aid.

Tell Congress: Act now to stop the war in Sudan

With support from AFSC's No Hunger Summer campaign, communities in several states are urging their governors to implement the SUN Bucks program that helps low-income families afford groceries. Read more.

IHC Statement on Iowa's Summer EBT Decision for 2025 - Iowa Hunger Coalition Today, the state of Iowa announced that it is submitting a waiver request to the USDA to operate a summer feeding demonstration project in lieu of participating in Summer EBT, also known as SUN Bucks, in 2025. “The Iowa Hunger Coalition would like to extend our gratitude to Governor Kim Reynolds, ...

In recent weeks, AFSC and partners have provided diapers and baby formula to over 2,000 displaced families in Gaza. With famine growing and many newborns unable to breastfeed due to maternal malnutrition, these supplies are a lifeline. Read more.

Providing vital nutrition for children in Gaza AFSC staff and partners distribute baby supplies in Gaza's Middle Area. To hear more, watch the video above with Kerri Kennedy, AFSC's associate general secretary for international programs. AFSC/Gaza

Join us, TODAY, Aug. 16 at 12pm ET for Palestine Action Hour.

This is a space for activists and advocates of Gaza to share community and take action together to call on Congress to demand a and am arms embargo against Israel.

Sign up:

AFSC Action Hour Resources You’ll get updates from AFSC staff in Gaza, hear what’s happening on Capitol Hill, and get resources for your activism. Together, we’ll contact Congress to demand an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access for Gaza. 

The Biden admin. approved $20 billion in arms sales to Israel – weapons that will kill children in Gaza.

Congress can block these sales – but they’re on recess, and for 10 months have failed to take action to stop arming Israel. There is

Join us this week on Friday, Aug. 16 at 12pm ET for Palestine Action Hour. We'll be making calls to Congress and tell them to support an arms embargo against Israel and demand a . Sign up:

AFSC Action Hour Resources You’ll get updates from AFSC staff in Gaza, hear what’s happening on Capitol Hill, and get resources for your activism. Together, we’ll contact Congress to demand an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access for Gaza. 

On , we want to lift up the experiences of youth in .
 
Through their stories, the challenges they face, and the future they hope for, we learn: What it is like to be a child in Gaza?
 
I dream that the war will stop, and people will return to their homes, and we will return to our schools, complete our education, and end all this suffering imposed by the occupation on us. - Sa’id Khamees Al-Halabi, 12
 
“I lost all members of my family, my home, and everything beautiful in this war. Now, I am alone, without family, friends, relatives, or a home. ...
 
My dream is to continue my education and return to my home in Gaza City.” - Mohammed Ali Al-Bibi, 17
 
I miss my classmates. I miss studying. I miss my life before the war. I miss coming back from school and finding my mother preparing food and eating together. But my mother was martyred. The occupation killed her and left me to continue my life without her. - Hala Al-Najmi, 13
 
Today, people see the 14-year-old girl, Aseel, as a chip seller in the shelter center, but tomorrow they will see Dr. Aseel, who refused to surrender, challenged all obstacles, continued studying, worked hard, and achieved her dream. - Aseel Al-Hawajri, 14

Monday, Aug. 12 is International Youth Day. All young people should live in safety and peace. AFSC has recently published interviews with people in Gaza who have been repeatedly displaced, including children as young as 12 years old. Learn more about them.

What’s it like to be a child in Gaza? AFSC is publishing dozens of personal testimonies from people who have been repeatedly displaced in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. Our “Displaced in Gaza” series includes accounts from children, some as young as 12 years old.  

For nearly a decade, AFSC has helped local farmers supply fresh vegetables to preschool children in New Mexico. Partnering with Head Start, we introduce fresh vegetables to low-income children in preschools around the state. (Public News Service)

NM preschoolers discover purple carrots, plant organic veggies Like kids everywhere, New Mexico preschoolers balk at eating fresh vegetables. But an educational project has found that with a creative nudge, they'll try just about anything - even purple carrots. Kids who start off eating processed foods are more likely to suffer health consequences, including ob...

This election season, it’s critical that we speak out for immigrant rights—and against fear and divisive hate. Tell Congress we need immigration policies that allow people to come to the U.S., build new lives, and be part of our communities.

Act now for welcoming, dignified, and just immigration

As the summer winds down, August is a time for transition and preparing for the fall. But did you know, August is "Make-a-will" month?

Let AFSC help you prepare with our estate planning kit. Visit:

Free Personal Estate Planning Kit Download Protect assets and avoid distress with a well-planned estate.

Join us at 12pm ET for Action Hour. This is a time to be in community with fellow activists that are calling for a and calling our Congress members to demand they support an immediate arms embargo against Israel and ceasefire. RSVP:

AFSC Action Hour Resources You’ll get updates from AFSC staff in Gaza, hear what’s happening on Capitol Hill, and get resources for your activism. Together, we’ll contact Congress to demand an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian access for Gaza. 

NPR's CodeSwitch podcast looks at the ways the label "felon" sticks to people long after their sentences end and how we can describe people beyond this label.

Code Switch: Do we need to stop using the word "felon"? : It's Been a Minute Ever since Vice President Kamala Harris entered the presidential race, things changed. Her campaign almost immediately started framing the election as: Harris, the former prosecutor - vs. Trump the felon. And that word - "felon" - is one that our friends over at NPR's Code Switch have been thinking....

Today, Aug. 6, marks 79 years since the U.S. bombing of . It was the first time a nuclear weapon had ever been used for warfare. Just three days later, the U.S. dropped a second bomb on .
 
More than 200,000 people were killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
 

Hibakusha is a Japanese term for “survivor of the bomb” referring to people who were affected by the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In 2015, Michiko Kodama, wrote a powerful account of the bombing of Hiroshima.

She was only 7 years old at the time.
 
Slide 1: Hiroshima after the bomb by Adam Tibalis’ grandfather via Flickr (Creative Commons licensed)

Today, Aug. 6, marks 79 years since the U.S. bombing of . It was the first time a nuclear weapon had ever been used for warfare. Just three days later, the U.S. dropped a second bomb on .
 
More than 200,000 people were killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
 
Last year, AFSC cosponsored a Hiroshima-Nagasaki commemoration held at the Japanese Bell of Peace and Friendship on the grounds of the Iowa State Capitol. 
 
Slide 1: Hiroshima after the bomb by Adam Tibalis’ grandfather via Flickr (Creative Commons licensed)
Slide 2: Japanese Bell of Peace and Friendship, Jon Krieg/AFSC

Today, Aug. 6, marks 79 years since the U.S. bombing of . It was the first time a nuclear weapon had ever been used for warfare. Just three days later, the U.S. dropped a second bomb on .

More than 200,000 people were killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Hibakusha is a Japanese term for "survivor of the bomb" referring to people who were affected by the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In 2015, Michiko Kodama, wrote a powerful account of the bombing of Hiroshima.

She was only 7 years old at the time.

Weapons of the devil: Hibakusha’s call for a world without nuclear weapons https://afsc.org

AFSC's Asia Smith on teaching about increased policing ahead of the :

“We wanted to create a comprehensive training for folks to be able to come and learn about the surveillance that the DNC is bringing and how they can potentially mitigate the harm.”

DNC In Chicago: United Center Neighbors Brace For Restricted Access, Traffic, Police — And Confusion Officials hosted meetings and canvassed the Near West Side to prep neighbors, but confusion remains, with some mistakenly believing they won't be able to enter or leave their homes during the convention.

Here’s what you need to know about escalating violence in the Middle East

On July 27, Israel bombed a school in Gaza where families were seeking shelter. Over 30 people were killed. 

On July 27, a missile hit the town of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights killing at least 12 children.
 
On July 30, Israeli military launched airstrikes in a Beirut suburb, assassinating a Hezbollah leader and killing at least three others.
 
On July 31,  Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader and former Palestinian Prime Minister is assassinated by a bomb while visiting Iran.
 
The Israeli military has killed more than 39,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7.

Why this matters

These killings escalate an already tense situation. More than 500 people in Lebanon have been killed by Israeli airstrikes, and 46 people have been killed by Hezbollah strikes in Israel.

Ismail Haniyeh – the Hamas leader killed in Tehran – was a key player in negotiations to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza. His assassination undermines ceasefire negotiations that would bring an end to the genocide in Gaza. 

Israel conducting political assassinations and airstrikes on other countries also dramatically increases the likelihood of an expanded regional war. 

A war would be devastating for people in the surrounding countries, exacerbate the already devastating situation in Gaza, severely hamper possibilities for a ceasefire and a prisoner/hostage exchange, and kill tens of thousands more people.

Urge Congress to act now to save lives and prevent a regional war, go to: afsc.org/stopwar

# Lebanon

In The Nation Magazine, AFSC's Yousef Aljamal writes about the starvation crisis in and why we need to act NOW and call on the U.S. and allies of Israel to open crossings, ensure safe delivery of aid, and support a permanent ceasefire.

Israel Is Using Starvation as a Weapon of War. Where Is the Outrage? President Biden and other allies of Israel need to use their leverage to end the Gaza famine. The alternative is mass starvation and death.

It has been 300 Days of genocide in . 
 
Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, entire generations of families have been wiped out. Gaza lies in ruins. Universities, schools, hospitals, churches, mosques, stores, agricultural facilities, factories, and homes have all been destroyed. It could take decades to fully rebuild.
 
Despite all of this, the U.S. continues to send Israel weapons and offers other political support. It is time for this to end.
 
Join in calling for an end to the destruction in and telling your representatives to support an🛑arms embargo against Israel and a . Take action at: afsc.org/embargo

In the last week of July, we've seen increasing tension and violence in the Middle East.

Tell Congress to act now stop further killing, deescalate tension in the region, and avoid the spread of war.

Stop the spread of war in the Middle East

On Tuesday, and early yesterday morning, the Israeli military launched airstrikes in Lebanon and Iran, assassinating leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas. This undermines negotiations for a ceasefire and increase the likelihood of a regional war.

The U.S. and other members of the international community must enforce an arms embargo on Israel, demand an immediate cease-fire, and take steps to hold accountable all parties responsible for war crimes and violations of the law.

Targeted assassinations undermine cease-fire negotiations and escalate conflict. Yesterday and early this morning, the Israeli military launched airstrikes in Lebanon and Iran, assassinating leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas. Ismail Haniyeh – the Hamas leader killed in Tehran – was a former Palestinian Prime Minister and a key player in negotiations to bring about a cease-fire ...

Join us this, Friday, August 2 at 12 p.m. ET for our Action Hour for Gaza. We’ll be joined by Visualizing Palestine (), a nonprofit dedicated to using data and research to visually communicate experiences to provoke narrative change. And we’ll also be presenting art from artist Malak Mattar () who created the cover art for our anthology, Light in . 
 
Sign up @ afsc.org/actionhour

This weekend a missile hit the town of Majdal Shams in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights killing at least 12 children. Israel responded by bombing targets in Lebanon, killing at least 3 and raising the death toll to over 500 from Israeli bombings of Lebanon.

The Israeli military continued the genocide in Gaza; on Saturday they bombed a school where families were seeking shelter. Over 30 people were killed.

We mourn the loss of these lives and the lives of all who have been killed. We hold their families and loved ones in the Light.

The Israeli government approved more attacks on Lebanon, increasing the risk of regional war. Rising tensions between Israel and Lebanon are a result of Israel’s genocidal attack on Gaza where as many as 180,000 people may have died directly and indirectly due to Israeli actions.

To avoid further killing, deescalate tension, and avoid the spread of war, the U.S. and members of the international community must enforce an arms embargo on Israel, demand an immediate ceasefire, and hold accountable all parties responsible for war crimes and violations of law.

In the past year, police have used force against college students calling for divestment, activists working to stop Cop City, and more. Learn about police repression in the U.S. and how we can speak out against it today.

Militarized policing is threatening democracy Across the United States, activists protesting the ongoing genocide in Palestine are facing extreme police suppression. For decades, police have employed violence and militarized tactics to stifle social movements nationwide, resulting in persistent police killings and brutality. This national trend...

AFSC is sponsoring season three of the “Quakers Today” podcast, a project of Friends Publishing Corporation. Listen in to the latest episode to explore the complex legacies of two notable Quakers: George Fox and Richard Nixon.

Quaker Podcast - Podcast Exploring Quaker Life & Religious Beliefs Quakers Today, hosted by Peterson Toscano, features writers, musicians, and thinkers who are seeking wisdom and understanding in a rapidly changing world.

In a historic decision, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestine – including Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem – is unlawful. Read our statement.

International Court of Justice rules Israel’s occupation is unlawful In a historic decision, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestine – including Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem – is unlawful. The ruling determines that Israel is in breach of the Apartheid article of the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discr...

Since the war in Gaza began, entire generations of families have been killed. Gaza lies in ruins. Yet, the U.S. continues to send Israel weapons. Join AFSC in calling on Congress to support an arms embargo against Israel and a permanent cease-fire.

Support an arms embargo against Israel and a permanent cease-fire!

Last year, over 16,000 people in Guilford County, North Carolina faced eviction. Today, AFSC and partners are helping people stay in their homes through our “Keep Gate City Housed” campaign. https://bit.ly/46n2AqyL

How renters in North Carolina won support to prevent evictions After months of advocacy by AFSC, partners, and community members, more people will get the help they need to stay in their homes.