Who are we and why are we here?

The North Star Network (NSN) is a Quaker (or “Friends”) nonprofit charitable organization that offers counseling and pathways to migrants, refugees and uprooted people considering Canada.

Standing by people fleeing oppression has been part of the Quaker DNA for centuries. Friends have a tradition of aiding refugees and victims of persecution including enslaved people who came north on the underground railroad; members of the Jewish community, opponents of Hitler and displaced people during the Holocaust, as well as refugees and war victims in other countries across the globe.

In this work, Friends have always built relationships and collaborated with migrants themselves, as well as volunteers from other faith groups and aid organizations.

Today, NSN partners with a range of migrant and legal aid groups in the U.S. and Canada. We respond to requests for help, build bridges and pathways, share information and provide humanitarian aid.

Far too often, immigrants are infantilized or considered helpless victims. North Star recognizes the agency and dignity of the people we support. We honor their volition and right to make decisions about their own lives and where they want to live. We work alongside them. We embrace our common humanity and act to support them in a spirit of solidarity and accompaniment.

Our network is powered by Quaker volunteers in various parts of the country who make up the backbone of the effort. They’re joined by people of conscience and participants from other faith communities and aid organizations who extend NSN’s reach.