A Few Worthy Causes

I’ve been researching nonprofits in my backyards (the San Francisco Bay Area, Toronto, Canada and Ghana, West Africa) as I start my own nonprofit, Ayawo. I’ve come across a lot of organizations with worthy causes and commendable solutions to problems. While I won’t list all of them here, I thought I’d throw together a brief list—a shoutout of sorts—of a few of the orgs doing dope and important work both near and dear to my heart, and near and dear to my communities. I’ll briefly breakdown their missions and some of their actions. I’ll also provide links to their sites so that you can check them out and even donate if you feel so inclined.

Disclaimer: As I’ve explored these charities, I’ve done so for the most part with the intent of understanding their communication strategies, their federal and state registrations, and compliances, and for grant writing research. I have not done a deep dive of the organization’s financials or their recent advocacy and campaigns. Also, I’ve not listed the nonprofits below in any particular order of import.

1. Aspire 4 Higher

MISSION

At A4H, our mission is to fortify the foundation of communities by leveraging the power of sports, health & wellness, education, employment, and entrepreneurship. We are a data-driven organization unwavering in our dedication to empower youth, young adults, and professionals through innovative and comprehensive strategies.

VISION

Our vision is to implement a social inclusion framework where people can develop, learn, work and play in a context that is responsive and supportive of their needs, aspirations, and interests.

OUR IMPACT

2.  East Oakland Boxing Association

 MISSION

We develop champions among youth, their families, and the greater community by leveraging the principles of boxing to learn discipline, demonstrate work ethic, and experience self-confidence, and we do so in a secure and enriching environment. 

 LAST SCHOOL YEAR

During the last school year, EOBA provided:

18,900 hours of academic programming

9,450 hours of enrichment programming

7,126 hours of youth boxing coaching

150 summer youth served daily

3 & 4. Foster Youth Rising  & Beyond Emancipation

Foster Youth Rising

MISSION

We believe young adults transitioning from foster care deserve to have the financial and emotional resources needed to build stability and success in their lives. Foster Youth Rising fills gaps in the resources available to these young adults by providing grants and other opportunities in a manner that acknowledges their potential and dignity.

GIVING

Foster Youth Rising makes grants to foster youth to cover expenses that are both traditionally funded and not traditionally funded by other sources. Past grants include home move-in costs; transportation to and from college; uninsured medical, dental, and eye care; among others.

Beyond Emancipation

MISSION

Beyond Emancipation offers a range of services to support current and former foster youth in their transition to living as independent adults. Beyond Emancipation’s mission is to support young people as they imagine and create their own life beyond foster care. We envision a more equitable world where all young people with experience in foster care thrive as adults.

5.  Hack the Hood

MISSION

Hack the Hood is an Oakland-based organization that is harnessing the power of homegrown talent by preparing Bay Area youth of color for opportunities in tech.

Our mission is to provide Black, Latinx, Indigenous and AAIP youth, who experience the greatest barriers to tech-based learning and careers, with tech skill-building programs and career navigation support that is grounded in justice and supports economic mobility.

ACTIONS IN 2023

168 Hours of tech instruction delivered

29 Hours of professional development delivered

188 Volunteer and mentor hours

 

6.  Hεn Mpoano

VISION & MISSION

We envision a world where inclusive and integrated management of coastal and marine ecosystems generate long-term benefits to nature and people. 

Our Mission is to provide technical, policy and extension support to actors in government, private sector and civil society through capacity building, research, networking and project development in fisheries and coastal ecosystem governance. 

SOME PAST & ON-GOING PROJECTS

  

This last one, Human Rights Watch, isn’t necessarily in my backyard, but they do a ton of important work globally—including producing The World Report every year, which documents human rights violations globally. So, they made the cut.

7.  Human Rights Watch

MISSION

Human Rights Watch investigates and reports on abuses happening in all corners of the world. We are roughly 550 plus people of 70-plus nationalities who are country experts, lawyers, journalists, and others who work to protect the most at risk from vulnerable minorities and civilians in wartime, to refugees and children in need. We direct our advocacy toward governments, armed groups and businesses, pushing them to change or enforce their laws, policies and practices. To ensure our independence, we refuse government funding and carefully review all donations to ensure that they are consistent with our policies, mission, and values. We partner with organizations large and small across the globe to protect embattled activists and to help hold abusers to account and bring justice to victims.

 

Writing this post was a challenge because I’ve come across a lot of great orgs doing tons of important work, but here are seven that I think deserve today’s spotlight.

Okay, that’s all from me. Thanks for reading.

Write to you soon,

Selali

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