5 BLACK LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS I'M DONATING TO THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

This holiday season looks so different for each and every one of us this season. While it’s been an incredibly taxing year, there are still a few ways I’m finding small joys and part of that is helping those that are in need this holiday. Below I’ve listed my top 5 black local organizations that I’ll be donating to and I encourage you to do the same. With it being the season of giving, this is an opportunity to make a small impact and sow a few seeds in the community.

Pretty Purposed - Founded in 2016, Pretty Purposed began as an organization with a mission to empower girls, ages 9-14, through mentorship and a variety of activities that promote healthy physical, social, and emotional development. The vision statement resonated deeply with me: “We envision a world where girls are able to thrive beyond their circumstances. We work toward this by abiding by these characteristics: Graceful, Inspiring, Rooted, Leadership, Sisterhood.”

Girls For A Change - Girls For A Change (GFAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization aimed at empowering Black girls and other girls of color in Central Virginia to visualize their bright futures and potential through discovery, development, innovation, and social change in their communities.

SisterFund - SisterFund is a grassroots donor education and grant-making initiative, uniting civic-minded African American women’s ideas and actions through philanthropy and collective giving. Their membership is comprised of 45+ African American women who leverage their resources to increase the impact of their giving. The mission is to improve the lives of African American women and girls by transforming local nonprofits, who also support the development of African American young girls and women, through significant, collective financial investments. SisterFund members engage in an experience that transforms our community in this powerful journey of giving.

Concerned Black Men of Richmond, VA - Concerned Black Men (CBM) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing positive male role models and mentors to youth, primarily black youth. CBM was founded in 1975 by five police officers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who wanted to eliminate the gang influence and high crime among youth in Philadelphia. Today, CBM has over twenty-one chapters throughout the United States and is continuing to grow.

The Richmond African American Scholarship Fund - “Helping Students Reach Their Full Potential” is the mission of the Richmond African American Scholarship Fund (RAASF). RAASF is a non-profit endowment fund dedicated to promoting higher education in the Richmond African American community through collaborative corporate, individual, and community partnership.