Kw'umut Lelum Foundation

As part of the reflection and learning we’ve done this Black History Month, we’d like to recognize Black Indigenous, or Afro-Indigenous, folks whose intersecting identities are often under-represented. This year’s Black History Month theme is “Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations.” We sat down with Charsanaa Johnny, an emerging young leader from Snuneymuxw First Nation on her mom’s side and African American on her dad’s side, to hear her story and her message to Youth. Growing up, she mostly identified as being Black, and later came to realize what a blessing being mixed is: “It’s because I’m mixed that I have the connection to territory that I do, it’s because I’m mixed that I have the relationship with my community that I do, and that I have this whole other identity in life, in community, and in spirituality, and culture. I’ve always had that growing up, no matter how disconnected I may have felt at times. Growing up in the States I sometimes felt detached, but I always knew that I was going to come home.” Charsanaa worked with us as the Project Coordinator for the PhotoVoice project and is now set to graduate with her Master of Social Work in Indigenous Trauma and Resiliency from the University of Toronto. Congratulations!  Charsanaa’s full story will be available in our upcoming newsletter. Make sure to sign up if you haven’t already! https://lnkd.in/g49PPNQy #Blackhistorymonth

🚨CALLING ALL INDIGENOUS YOUTH ARTISTS 20 YEARS AND UNDER! 🚨 💫 We are thrilled to announce an electrifying collaboration between Hope and Health and Bears’ Lair for the 2025 Hope and Health Jersey Contest - inviting Indigenous Youth artists to submit original artwork for the opportunity to shape the future of our community with your art - and an epic prize pack to elevate your creative and business journey. Unlock your entrepreneurial potential with Bears’ Lair and gain 10 hours of dynamic business coaching from founder Geena Jackson — available virtually or in person — and access up to $1,500 in educational and startup bursary support to launch your success. 💡The theme for the design is: Coming together as One Heart, One Mind, through the beautiful game to develop “Champions For Life”. The winner will receive:  🏆 $1,500 Cash Prize and additional $1,500 in educational/start up bursury 🏆 Jersey video highlights video 🏆 The opportunity to work with Hope and Health’s production team 🏆 800+ participants, coaches and staff wearing your design at Community Camps 🏆 Professional video and social media opportunity 🏆 A 10 hour business coaching session with Founder of Bears’ Lair, Geena Jackson 🏆 A 5-full day internship opportunity with Coast Salish Artist, Maynard Johnny Jr. 🤲 We are also so grateful for the amazing opportunity to develop your skills as an artist through a 5-full day internship with the talented, Maynard Johnny Jr Through this internship, Maynard Johnny Jr. will work closely with you in mentorship and offer many valuable insights as an artist and share his path to a successful creative business. More information and link to enter here: https://lnkd.in/gmvix7m8 Submissions close on April 1st at 11:59 PM PST. We can’t wait to see your designs! #hopeandhealth #oneheartonemind #bethechange #indigenousyouthartist #indigenousart #changinglives #youthentrepreneurship Kw'umut Lelum Kw'umut Lelum Foundation BC Soccer Association Helijet International Inc. Electronic Arts (EA) EA SPORTS Maynard Johnny Jr Geena Jackson Bears Lair TV Oddball Workshop & Supply KenDor Textiles Ltd. @Identity Graphics Deana Gill William Yoachim James Merriman Ed Georgica Melanie Mark

Congratulations to the Mayne Island Collective! They are one of this year’s KLF Opportunity Grant recipients (funded by the Government of British Columbia through the Community Prosperity Fund). We’re thrilled they’ll be using the funds to grow their work in building a resilient, age-friendly community. From supporting housing initiatives and food-security programs for those in need, to improving the safety and accessibility of infrastructure, to engaging most of Mayne Island's nonprofits to work in synergy and collaboration, they’re focused on building a caring, resilient community that supports all. https://bit.ly/4hUYNoY #CommunityHealth #HealthCare #Philanthropy

Huy ch q'u to the Vancouver Island University Students’ Union for hosting the No More Stolen Sisters Memorial March last Friday to honour the lives of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+. Although so much more needs to be done – more than half of reported #MMIWG2S cases are in BC and Alberta (NWAC) – it was heartening to see so many people demanding justice, and standing up to take action so that in the future our communities will be safe for all. ❤️

Congratulations to the Pender Islands Health Care Society—one of the organizations that received this year’s KLF Opportunity Grant (funded by the Government of British Columbia through the Community Prosperity Fund). They’ve supported health care on the islands for more than 40 years but they were running out of space for their medical equipment loan program. With this grant, they can now purchase a portable building to house this program in a clean, dry accessible space and open up more places for patient and client care in their main building! We are so glad we could be a part of supporting their ongoing mission to provide and advocate for quality accessible health care for their community. #PenderIslands #CommunityHealth #HealthCare #Indigenous Philanthropy!

We are now on Bluesky and we’d love to connect! 🦅 🐝 🌎 🛫 ☀️ 🌈 💙 Find us at:   https://lnkd.in/gr5CgwrJ Are you on Bluesky? Let us know your handle in the comments.

A big welcome to THE PETER GILGAN FOUNDATION, our newest partner in the tsetsuwatil community of donors! 💛 Thanks to their Indigenous Youth Granting Stream, we’ve been gifted $40,000 to support Snuw’uy’ulh for Success—four pathways designed with and for Indigenous youth.  What’s it all about? These four powerful pathways focus on strengthening cultural identity, wellness, knowledge, confidence, and skills. The vision? Empowering Indigenous youth to shine in their education, careers, wellness, and family lives—while making a positive impact in their communities and beyond.  Huy ch’qa 🙌🏽  to the Peter Gilgan Foundation for starting this gifting relationship. We look forward to growing together!  #IndigenousYouth #PhilanthropyinAction #brighterfuture #6RsofPhilanthropy

Huge thanks to Mosaic Forest Management for their commitment to  building a reciprocal gifting relationship with us. In 2022 they pledged a generous gift of $100,000 over three years to support Indigenous-led programs that empower Indigenous youth by fostering a deeper connection to their culture, language and identity. And they just committed to continue our gifting relationship with another year of funding. 🧡 They invited our ED to lead a company-wide learning day on Orange Shirt Day (#nationaldayfortruthandreconciliation) for staff, where she shared insights on how to meaningfully activate reconciliation.  Huy ch q’u 🙌🏽 for modelling a new, reciprocal way of gifting that uplifts and honours self-determination and the 6Rs of Indigenous Philanthropy!  #indigenousyouth #philanthropyinaction #givingback

It's that time of the year again - Indigenous students from the KLF nine *member Nations can apply for a financial boost of up to $5,250 for their studies through the Kw’umut Lelum Indspire Scholarship Award. We are proud of this partnership with Indspire, as together we are investing in the limitless potential of Indigenous youth. Previous award winner Hailey Josephson (Snuneymuxw First Nation) shared how the award helped her focus on her studies at the University of Alberta without the financial stress: "This award allowed me to pour my heart and soul into my last year and eased the burden of unpaid work. I can’t express my gratitude enough but hope to give back to my community soon.” Students can apply at https://lnkd.in/g6X3fyWZ Eligible: *members of Stz’uminus First Nation; Halalt First Nation; Lake Cowichan First Nation; Lyackson First Nation; Malahat First Nation; Snaw-naw-as First Nation; Penelakut Tribe; Qualicum First Nation; Snuneymuxw First Nation #indigenouseducation #indigenousscholarship

This was a fantastic experience partnering with the Nanaimo Foundation to distribute funds to four charities doing great work for their communities in the Cowichan Valley. We look forward to hearing about the beneficial impact these funds have and hope to see more projects like this in the near future! #TogetherWeAreStronger #interconnected #philanthropy