The Give Black KC fundraiser continues raising grant money to support Black-owned businesses and nonprofits. Two of the organizations to benefit are providing assistance and training to underserved communities.Volunteers at the Raytown Emergency Assistance Program are busy organizing food for families in the Raytown School District who have trouble making ends meet. The organization, known as REAP, also helps with utilities and rent.”To have to choose between paying utilities or getting food for their families, and to be able to take that load off of them, you see that they’re just so grateful for that,” said Michael Watson, executive director of REAP.REAP is one of eight Black-led organizations to benefit from the Give Black KC initiative. It will be a welcome boost as the need for services here has tripled in the past year.”When you do have organizations that are led by Black women or men, they’re a lot less funded than other organizations, so just to be able to shine a light and say, ‘Hey, this is something that’s actually going on is super important,'” Watson said.Another nonprofit to receive grant money from the Give Black campaign is We Code KC. It provides technology and training to young people in the urban core — a way to bridge the digital divide in underserved communities.”We know technology is normally a white-dominated industry, a white male-dominated industry, but when they see people that look like them, they can now realize, ‘Wow, I actually can do that,'” said Tammy Buckner, CEO and co-founder of We Code KC.The grant money raised this week is an effort to level the playing field for Black organizations and bring change.”It is very important that they’re Black-led and it actually shows what, when we are given that opportunity, what we actually can do,” Buckner said.To donate, go to GiveBlackKC.org or text Give Black KC to 44321. The campaign runs through Friday.
The Give Black KC fundraiser continues raising grant money to support Black-owned businesses and nonprofits. Two of the organizations to benefit are providing assistance and training to underserved communities.
Volunteers at the Raytown Emergency Assistance Program are busy organizing food for families in the Raytown School District who have trouble making ends meet. The organization, known as REAP, also helps with utilities and rent.
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“To have to choose between paying utilities or getting food for their families, and to be able to take that load off of them, you see that they’re just so grateful for that,” said Michael Watson, executive director of REAP.
REAP is one of eight Black-led organizations to benefit from the Give Black KC initiative. It will be a welcome boost as the need for services here has tripled in the past year.
“When you do have organizations that are led by Black women or men, they’re a lot less funded than other organizations, so just to be able to shine a light and say, ‘Hey, this is something that’s actually going on is super important,'” Watson said.
Another nonprofit to receive grant money from the Give Black campaign is We Code KC. It provides technology and training to young people in the urban core — a way to bridge the digital divide in underserved communities.
“We know technology is normally a white-dominated industry, a white male-dominated industry, but when they see people that look like them, they can now realize, ‘Wow, I actually can do that,'” said Tammy Buckner, CEO and co-founder of We Code KC.
The grant money raised this week is an effort to level the playing field for Black organizations and bring change.
“It is very important that they’re Black-led and it actually shows what, when we are given that opportunity, what we actually can do,” Buckner said.
To donate, go to GiveBlackKC.org or text Give Black KC to 44321. The campaign runs through Friday.