Based in Northern California, Fellowship of Friends is a Fourth Way esoteric school founded by Robert Earl Burton over four decades ago. It utilizes practical exercises and methods in teaching the practice of living in the present. Fellowship of Friends also engages in community work by donating to charitable organizations such as the Orange County chapter of Trauma Intervention Program (TIP).
Founded in 1985, TIP is a national non-profit composed of trained volunteers who provide emotional assistance to victims of traumatic events and their families, especially within the first few hours after such tragedies. These events can include the accidental death of a partner, violent crimes such as rape, and suicide attempts.
TIP volunteers aid victims regardless of age. For example, TIP has instituted a program called "TIP 4 Kids" specially designed to meet the emotional needs of children. In cases of traumatic events, children are often denied the emotional support they need for a number of reasons. These include the incapacity of parents to provide support due to their own physical or emotional injuries, the absence of parents due to incarceration, or the inability of first responders to attend to their needs due to their preoccupation with the emergency or situation.
In such situations, TIP volunteers can provide assistance by providing on-scene support, educating parents about dealing with children following a tragic event, and following up with counseling services for traumatized children as needed.
