BIPOC Non-Profits To Donate To This Holiday Season
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It’s no secret that the pandemic has been particularly hard on groups who were already struggling before. In fact it grew the gap that already existed between many. Those who were already struggling are struggling even more. Circumstances such as access to healthcare, employment, housing arrangements, and poverty have made it so COVID-19 has hit minority groups the hardest, says the CDC. It’s maddening to see those who need the most protection from this virus get the least of it. However, among anxiety, uncertainty, and fear, there is at least one positive thing many individuals have felt in common during this pandemic: a desire to help somebody.
When we’re stuck in that mode of fretting about our own problems and possibly even feeling sorry for ourselves, we can remember that there are those who’d be grateful to take on our issues. There’s something mutually beautiful about helping others: we obviously assist someone who needs it, but we’re also given perspective on our own lives. If you’ve been fortunate to save extra during this pandemic, there are some great things you can do with the funds right now. Here are organizations that benefit BIPOC to donate to this holiday season.
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Rest for Resistance
Rest for Resistance is many things: it provides a platform for queer and trans people of color to publish pieces on their experiences as well as sell their artwork. It also offers mental health resources to these groups and conducts regular meditation and healing sessions and workshops, online and in person. So you can support them either by purchasing products on their “Shop” tab or make a direct donation that will help them pay their artists and cover operational costs.
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The Thurgood Marshall College Fund
The Thurgood Marshal College Fund is one of the oldest organizations that has been creating scholarship opportunities for Black students as well as giving monetary gifts to Black colleges. It also helps connect companies with qualified Black job applicants who are graduating or recently graduated. During its operation, it’s given over $300 million to Historically Black Colleges and Institutions, as well as Predominantly Black institutions.
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The Loveland Foundation
In 2018, The Loveland Foundation’s creator Rachel Cargle simply made a request for her own birthday wish: that loved ones raise money to help Black women and girls pay for therapy. The request was met with over $250,000 in donations. It inspired her to create The Loveland Foundation, which continues to work with networks of mental health professionals to provide affordable therapy for Black girls and women and raise funds for their ongoing treatment.
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Fair Fight
Fair Fight is the initiative of former Georgia House of Representatives Member Stacey Abrams. After losing the race for governor in 2018 among whispers of voter suppression on her opponent’s side, she created Fair Fight to make sure voters know their rights, have access to resources, and feel encouraged to vote. Fair Fight creates programs that educate voters and advocate for progressive issues.
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Brown Art Ink
Brown Art Ink calls itself an “incubator” as it helps develop Black and LatinX artists, working to land them residences in exhibits and museums, and also offering training for individuals in these groups wanting to grow their careers as artists. They also work to fight the exploitation of artists, and for fair pay of Black and LatinX artists.
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Black Church Food Security
Black Church Food Security works with churches around the country, giving Black farmers access to church grounds to grow food, and connecting them to local markets where they can sell it. They also created a directory to help Black farmers get in touch with African American churches who would like to support them and to provide resources for farmers to market their farm and network across the nation.
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FoodShare
FoodShare aims to correct food injustices on many levels. They work with community leaders and other organizations to bring nutritious, affordable food to underserved communities – particularly Black individuals, indigenous people of color, and disabled individuals. While they do rely on donations today, they’ve laid out their mission statement and strategy on their site for how they plan to create self-sustaining systems that not only create ongoing sources of healthy food in underserved communities but also help create jobs.
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Reclaim the Block
Reclaim the Block is a Minneapolis-based organization that works with local leaders and policymakers to move funds out of the police department and into community-based safety initiatives. They also offer resources and information about the importance of public safety initiatives that do not involve the police, and how you can advocate for them in your neighborhood.
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The Anti-Police Terror Project
The Anti-Police Terror Project is based out of Oakland and Sacramento, California, and is working to create safety solutions for communities that do not involve the police and can be easily replicated around the country. They also document police brutality, as well as help individuals affected by it get the appropriate resources – including legal assistance.
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The Black Feminist Project
The Black Feminist Project does work to provide nutritious food to underserved communities, but it does so much more. Its overall mission is to empower women and girls of color, and particularly women-led households, to learn about and combat racial, sexist, and systematic injustices, through workshops, artist’s initiatives, and more. Based in the Bronx, it also helps create community gardens and provides free or sliding-scale food delivery for families who need it.
