Friends Neighborhood Guild

The Friends Neighborhood Guild (the Guild) was founded in 1879 and is a settlement house and neighborhood center in lower North Philadelphia. 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 services, 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.

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 conservation 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.