African American Men Give Back to Local Youth
$80,000 in youth-centered grants to be awarded through giving circle
(RICHMOND, VA) … Members of the Ujima Legacy Fund — a giving circle created by and for African American men — announce three new grants ranging from $20,000 – $40,000 to The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, ChildSavers, and Girls For A Change. They honored the recipients at a virtual celebration held on December 15.
The grant to The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia (BHMVA) will support the development & implementation of Black history virtual learning opportunities for students with focus on African American youth and students of Richmond Public Schools. It is expected that 5,000-10,000 students will take advantage of the materials when they are initially released.
These virtual learning experiences about Black history will be tailored to elementary, middle, and high school students. While the programming is open and available to all students, African American students are poised to gain the deepest insight about the contributions of their ancestors to the tapestry of American history. Equitable treatment regarding things like education, economic security, health, and safety will be interwoven in the program. A key component for each module will be how the students can connect the historical people, places, and events to their lives today.
The grant to ChildSavers will support the creation of a pilot program offering group therapy for African American adolescent males ages 12-17 to address the mental health crisis.
This program will take place over a six-month period, facilitated by a member of ChildSavers’ school-based clinical staff. Four groups of 6-10 students will meet once a week for 8-10 weeks. The groups will meet to explore topics around families, bodies, self, ancestors, and the global community. The intent is for the group to become a pipeline, ultimately for the organization’s young professional board as they look to engage more members of the community they serve in all of their volunteer leadership.
The grant to Girls For A Change (GFAC) will support the 4th cohort of GFAC's premier workforce development program, Girl Ambassadors.
Girl Ambassadors is a four-year, workforce development program serving girls of color from 9th through 12th grade from the Greater Richmond area. It provides participants with tech training, certifications, mentors, and other experiences that support their mastery of 21st century skills. This exposure prepares participants to eliminate the “cement ceiling” that is in place to limit their access to leadership, innovation, and the financial rewards of gainful employment. The girls earn the opportunity to exhibit their newly acquired skills in local startups, nonprofits, and corporate settings.
“These three organizations epitomize the types of programs Ujima Legacy Fund was created to assist. They are educating and supporting our young people so they can realize their full potential. The men of Ujima are proud to support this work,” said Derrick Johnson, President of Ujima Legacy Fund.
About Ujima Legacy Fund
In 2013, The Ujima Legacy Fund was launched to make philanthropy engaging and accessible for African American men in the Richmond region. Ujima is named after the third day of Kwanzaa and means collective work and responsibility. One of three giving circles created in partnership with the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond, Ujima members pool contributions of $1,100 each to generate greater community impact. Together, they select at least one local nonprofit organization annually that they feel best demonstrates the ability to empower youth through education-related initiatives, with an emphasis on underserved youth. Since inception, membership has grown to more than 50 men and has awarded a total of $328,000 to 15 organizations.
About the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond
Since 1968, the Community Foundation for a greater Richmond has been a catalyst for community change, connecting and mobilizing people and institutions to make the Richmond region a better place. As the largest community foundation in Virginia, the Foundation manages more than 1,200 charitable funds and has invested over $1 billion to create equitable communities where all residents can thrive. Visit the Community Foundation website here: https://www.cfrichmond.org/
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Media Contact:
Liz Lungut
Community Foundation for a greater Richmond
llungut@cfrichmond.org
Work: (804) 409-5625
Cell: (804) 873-2451