29 local organizations receive $400,000 through Waterloo Region Community Foundation’s Racial Equity Fund
WATERLOO REGION, ON (November 30, 2023) — Today, Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) announced 29 organizations in Waterloo Region will receive approximately $400,000 in funding, with additional donations provided by Equitable and several WRCF Fundholders and Donors. With over $770,000 in requests during this application period, the need in our community continues to outpace the funds available.
“There is an incredible array of programs and initiatives across Waterloo Region that support racialized communities – communities disproportionately affected by inequities,” says Eric Avner, President & CEO, Waterloo Region Community Foundation. “Equity is embedded in our values and at the core of the work that we do. WRCF will continue to leverage our resources, alongside our partners, Fundholders and Donors, to take action and improve racial equity in our community.”
The Racial Equity Fund was established in 2020 and is intended to support those most impacted by the ongoing and systemic racial disparities that exist in our community. A committee of volunteer community members who self-identify as Indigenous, Black or as a person of colour developed the funding application and guidelines, reviewed applications and recommended funding recipients.
A list of organizations that received funding is included below:
A Womb With a View
Adventure4Change
African Women's Alliance of Waterloo Region
Anishnabeg Outreach Employment and Training Inc.
Canadian Rohingya Development Initiative
Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region
Child Witness Centre
Crow Shield Lodge
Family & Children's Services of the Waterloo Region Foundation
Kinbridge Community Association
Kind Minds Family Wellness
Levant Canada
Muslim Social Services Waterloo Region
Muslim Women of Cambridge
Nigerians in the Region of Waterloo
Preston Heights Community Group
Rhythm & Blues Cambridge
Somali Canadian Association of Waterloo Region (SCAWR)
Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre
SPECTRUM
The Canadian Helpers Society
The Freedom Marching Project
United for Literacy
University of Waterloo
Waterloo Region Chinese Canadian Association
White Owl Native Ancestry Association
Wilfrid Laurier University (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Indigenization Coalition)
Women of Dignity International
YMCA of Three Rivers (Midwestern Ontario)
For more information about WRCF, visit www.wrcf.ca.
-###-
About Waterloo Region Community Foundation
Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF) collaborates with partners to create sustainable, equitable and thriving communities. We connect regionally and locally, with our three cities and four townships, to include the people and places across our region. We make philanthropy easy for individuals and companies to support organizations and issues they care about. WRCF is focused on Granting, Investing and Convening to make measurable and sustainable impacts. Gifts are directed to WRCF's endowed funds that drive positive change through grants with the income generated being distributed in partnership with Fundholders to support a wide range of charitable causes within our community. We are growing our assets in a socially-responsible way without compromising financial returns, and transitioning to a 100% mission-aligned portfolio. These investments include directing at least 10% of our portfolio to impact investments. As a leading community-building organization we also work to amplify voices and issues of importance by convening conversations and sharing information, while approaching our work with an equity mindset. www.wrcf.ca
For additional information about this release or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Lynne Short
Vice President, Waterloo Region Community Foundation
519-725-1806 x 204
lynne@wrcf.ca
