Friends Family Fund

Dear Friends,

Last year, the Friends Family Fund (FFF) was initiated by a group of local RFS families to support students who experienced extreme financial setbacks as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This group of Palestinian philanthropists generously raised more than $56,000 in support of 21 families- enabling their children to continue receiving education at RFS despite the impact of the pandemic on the economic and health reality in Palestine. RFS anticipates that the financial and health consequences of the pandemic will continue this year and into the near future for many of our families. This reality is already superimposed on a fragile economy and protracted political instability. As a result, the School is hoping to sustain and systemize this fundraising effort through a local RFS community-based philanthropic model.

Ultimately, our goal is to establish a local donor community, which through its’ generous contributions, RFS will be able to continue to extend tuition discounts and financial aid in a sustainable manner to a larger segment of its student population. The benefits of building local philanthropy is a significant endeavor for Palestine. In depending on our local resources, we are not only building a culture of giving in Palestine that encourages others to do the same, but we are also weaning ourselves and our community from dependence on international donor aid. Furthermore, community level philanthropy will allow the School to build resilience as it faces a number of urgent challenges such as a prolonged occupation, economic crisis, and a global pandemic.

In this context, the School sees our community’s philanthropy as a force- one which can strengthen our community, build trust, and harness our community’s energy to advance and protect the School. Community support has always played a key role in the success of RFS, and we are profoundly indebted to the generosity of spirit, time, and money that folks have poured into various initiatives throughout the School’s history.

We are confident that in adopting this community-based philanthropic system, we are embodying our Quaker ideals and values while paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient future for our School- its students, alumni, staff, faculty, parents, and Friends.

As we embark on our local philanthropy campaign, we are reaching out to you to make a gift in support of the School’s Friends Family Fund. With your support, we can impact our community in a lasting way.

Please join us by making your gift through a direct deposit in the school’s bank account: