9 Black Canadian Charities To Support For Black History Month & All Year Long
There are so many good causes to get behind!
A mural on a building in Vancouver. Right: Two women smiling at each other.
February 1 marked the start of Black History Month in Canada and if you're looking for ways to show your support, what better way than putting some money towards a Black Canadian charity?
To help curate a list of charitable organizations that directly support Black Canadians, Narcity Canada spoke with Paul Bailey, the executive director of Black Health Alliance which is a community-led registered charity.
"Its mission is to work to improve the health and well-being of Black Canadians," Bailey said of the Black Health Alliance. "That comes in the context of understanding that Black people in Canada face a disproportionately greater burden of challenges across the social determinants of health."
Some of those factors include housing, food security, early childhood development and "disproportionate challenges around chronic conditions and mental health," which the Black Health Alliance works to tackle.
To do so, Bailey says the charity focuses on "policy, advocacy, as well as working with communities to build tangible solutions in response to those pressing systemic challenges."
In addition to the Black Health Alliance, here are a few of the Canadian charities that Bailey recommends you check out and donate to if possible.
Africa Centre
Their mission: "Create opportunities for access and full participation of the African descent community in Alberta."
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Check them out here and donate here.
Hogan's Alley Society
What they do: The Hogan's Alley Society "advocates for Black Vancouverites who have endured the legacies of urban renewal and their erasure from the official historical narrative."
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
Check them out here and donate here.
Health Association of African Canadians
Their mission: "To promote and improve the health of African Canadians in Nova Scotia through community engagement, education, policy recommendations, partnerships and research participation."
Location: Nova Scotia
Check them out here.
Akoma
Their mission: The Akoma Family Centre "provides residential services for children and youth with a range of programs that are dedicated to enhancing their wellbeing."
Black Community Resource Centre
About them: "The Black Community Resource Centre (BCRC) is a growing, resource-based organization that strengthens community capacity by providing professional support to organizations and individuals in need. The Centre is committed to helping visible minority youth rekindle their dreams, and achieve their full potential."
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Check them out here.
TAIBU Community Health Centre
Who they are: "TAIBU Community Health Centre is a community-driven organization, located in Malvern, serving the Greater Toronto Area’s Black-identifying communities. Racism, poverty, systemic oppression & issues related to housing, education & employment are all social factors affecting health & wellbeing. TAIBU’s programs and services are delivered in a culturally affirming Africentric environment to support our community."
Location: Malvern, Ontario
CEE Centre For Young Black Professionals
Their mission: "To create a society and economy in which Black youth achieve financial prosperity and high quality of life for themselves and their families. We achieve this in collaboration with Black youth, their families, employers, and the broader community."
Location: Scarborough, Ontario
Wanasah
Who they are: "Wanasah is a new non-profit mental health agency created to address the urgent mental health needs of Black youth and their families in Regent Park and neighbouring areas, in downtown Toronto. We are a space where Black youth and their families recognize themselves."
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Project UP
Their mission: "Collaborative community-building by and for young Black Muslim women where access to diverse resources and opportunities can be actualized."
Location: Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
Check them out here and donate here.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
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