What are affiliates,as kimg uses the word ? Consider the comtext of how the word is used multiple times in the paragraph ?

Dr. King's movement had other agencies helping his cause. He referrs to these organizations as "affiliates".

” I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every Southern state with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. We have some 85 affiliate organizations all across the South … Several months ago our local affiliate here in Birmingham invited us to be on call to engage in a nonviolent direct action program."