Originally posted June 2020 on the Coast

Giving money to Black organizations in the wake of protests across North America is one of the most effective and tangible ways to actually bring about change. Giving money once is OK. Giving money every month is better, and most places make it really easy to set up recurring donations.

Black Lives Matter Solidarity Fund NS is an emergency fund for Black people living throughout Nova Scotia to offset the unprecedented effect COVID-19 is having on the Black community in NS.

Canadian Civil Liberties Association is a human rights organization that defends the rights, dignity, safety and freedoms of all people in Canada, working with pro-bono lawyers for all levels of court across Canada to fight injustice and broad-reaching education programming.

The Africville Heritage Trust operates the Africville museum which tells the story of a community that met the indignities of racism with grace and faith. Its donation page is down, but anyone who wants to donate can do so via credit card and still get a tax receipt. Just email Juanita Peters  (gmafricvillemuseum@gmail.com) to get started.

The Association of Black Social Workers has set up a toll-free phone number to help Black Nova Scotians during COVID-19, and works year-round to provide educational resources, support for African Candian workers and services that range from clinical counselling to professional development. Scroll to the bottom of the homepage and click on the Donate button to get a unique donation link.

The Black Cultural Society / Centre for Nova Scotia works to protect, preserve and promote Black culture and heritage in Nova Scotia through the African Nova Scotian Museum and other initiatives and programming.

For the past five years LaMeia Reddick has been turning her mom’s home into BLXCK HOUSE Life Studio—which curates and inspires holistic health experiences for the neighbourhood of North Preston. She’s raising funds to build an outdoor programming space to help expand BLXCK  HOUSE’s offerings.

The Delmore Buddy Daye Institute works for educational change and opportunities for learners and communities of African ancestry to reach their full potential. Its programs are rooted in educational research that reaches policymakers, educators, parents and the general public.

Justice for Regis GoFundMe is a fund that will go directly to the family of Regis Korchinski-Paquette, who are still searching for answers about her death.

Black Lives Matter Toronto works to “forge critical connections and to work in solidarity with Black communities, Black-centric networks, solidarity movements and allies in order to dismantle all forms of state-sanctioned oppression, violence, and brutality committed against African, Caribbean, and Black cis, queer, trans, and disabled populations in Toronto.” Its advocacy has an impact across Canada.

Canadian Race Relations Foundation funds research projects that work toward the elimination of racism in Canada. It’s more research-based than action-based, but if the Street Check report tells us anything, policymakers say they need hard data before they’ll bring about change.

The Black mental health supports fund is a fund working to pay three professionals to provide free mental health support to Black people who need it in Ontario.

The Black Power Hour radio show airs Wednesdays from 9-10:30pm on CKDU 88.1FM. It’s a communication lifeline for incarcerated folks and provides direct financial aid while blending conscious hip hop with discussions of political, cultural and social issues relevant to Black people. You can e-transfer funds to TheBlackPowerHour@gmail.com.

LOVE Nova Scotia provides programming for youth working to build healthy relationship and emotional intelligence.

Hope Blooms engages youth in North End Halifax to become change agents, working on food security, education, social inclusion and disrupting the cycle of poverty.

The Birchtown Black Loyalist Society is committed to discovering, interpreting, safeguarding, and promoting the history and heritage of the Black Loyalists— Birchtown was once home to the largest free Black settlement outside of Africa in the 1780s and many residents went on to settle Sierra Leone—and the society runs the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre in Shelburne. Donations can be made by
mail.

The Nova Scotia COVID-19 Health Research Coalition is supporting three research projects that focus on social and health inequities related to African Nova Scotians and COVID-19. The funding goes through the Dartmouth General Hospital Charitable Foundation but the three studies are led by Black women and all funds raised through our campaign go directly to those studies.

902 ManUp is dedicated to the advancement of all Black communities within Nova Scotia with a focus on the empowerment of young Black males. You can support the volunteer organization by buying some of their merch.

The One North End has two initiatives that you could donate to: the NEST (North End Start-Up & Training) program and the ONE Community Fund which provides small, non-repayable contributions tocommunity members in Halifax’s North End who are in need during the challenging time of COVID-19. Donations can be sent by e-transfer to info@onenorthend.ca with a note for which fund you’d like to support.

The Black Youth helpline is a Canada-wide service that serves all youth and specifically responds to the need for a Black youth specific service, positioned and resourced to promote access to professional, culturally appropriate support for youth, families and schools. The number to call is 1-833-294-8650. Donations can be made here.