In June of 2023, Bread & Roses Community Fund’s Racial & Economic Justice Fund and Future Fund made $290,000 in grants to thirty-four grassroots groups working to promote racial and economic justice in the Philadelphia region. This marks the largest amount of money raised by a Giving Project at Bread & Roses in recent history.
The unprecedented amount of funds raised by members of the 2023 Racial & Economic Justice Giving Project is an example of what can happen when people from different backgrounds come together under the banner of justice. The record-making effort of our Giving Project members, the generosity of our donors, and the tenacity of our grantees is a true testament of Bread & Roses’ community-driven grantmaking model, where the people most affected by the issues are the ones making decisions about where money is needed most.
“Especially with the uncertainty that the coming year brings, funding the organizers doing the hard work of fighting to change unjust systems of oppression is critical,” says Bread & Roses executive director Casey Cook.
For groups like Juntos, grants from Bread & Roses support the expansion of their community organizing efforts to protect the rights of immigrants in the Philadelphia region. “The growth of our membership…and the continuation of our youth development [work] are critical areas we are focusing on for the future. There’s a real need in the community and our work is necessary. Juntos is about keeping the community supported and thriving and we just need to be the strongest organization that we can be to better respond to the challenges that we’re facing,” says Erika Gaudalupe Núñez, executive director of Juntos.
For Native American House Alliance the grant goes towards a greater goal of state recognition. “When we first reached out to Bread & Roses, we were trying to start a Native American Commission here in Philadelphia. Federally recognized Indians have the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but currently we have nobody to go to for help. With the new city administration, in 2024 we hope to establish a commission locally and eventually statewide,” says executive director Cornelia Dimalanta.
For Unique Dreams, grant funds help to build power in communities in Frankford. “Coming into an election year, our work is more important now. The communities we serve are hard to reach unless you live there. Since we are based in the community, the funds go directly towards initiatives to help community members. We were able to host a large community carnival and resource fair that allowed us to have the voter commission come out to set up a table. Because of that initiative, we were able to be a polling place for the election. We opened our doors to people that probably wouldn’t vote otherwise, that was huge for us,” says chief executive officer and founder Angenique Howard.
Howard further asserts, “Nonprofits led by Black women are in a very difficult arena when it comes to funding. Bread & Roses streamlines the process and allows us to focus on the work.”