Fund Partners with United Way Greater Toronto to Support African Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Wednesday September 20, 2023
In Toronto, the escalating housing crisis and gaps in federal funding have led to the city’s shelters reaching and even exceeding capacity. As a result, many recent refugees and asylum seekers have had to sleep on the city streets. While the allocation of …
How Oakland Bloom Empowers Immigrant and Refugee Chefs
Wednesday September 6, 2023
“Food is a powerful connector across communities, to lands, as well as to one’s own health, expression, home, lineages, and identity. But the food industry is also built on systemic extraction, appropriation, and exploitation, particularly impacting poor and working-class people of color and …
Meet Said Hassan, Co-founder of Community Services Agency in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Wednesday July 19, 2023
Said Hassan founded Community Services Agency (COMSA) in 2017 to meet the unique needs of refugees and immigrants arriving in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he had settled himself a year earlier. “Our goal is to build a resourceful community that contributes to the …
Meet Two of Toronto Community Benefits Network’s New Ambassadors
Monday July 10, 2023
In June, Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN) kicked off its 2023 Community Benefits Ambassadors program. TCBN, a grantee partner of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund, works to ensure that Toronto’s construction projects provide jobs to immigrants, refugees, women, and other groups underrepresented in …
How the Drivers Cooperative Is Helping Immigrant Workers Reclaim Their Power
Wednesday June 21, 2023
The Drivers Cooperative, a grantee partner of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund, is a New York City-based organization of over 9,000 drivers who came together during the pandemic in pursuit of fundamental change in the rideshare vehicle industry. A driver-owned alternative to Uber …
Building the Financial Resilience and Sustainability of Our Grantee Partners in Canada
Friday June 9, 2023
Non-profit organizations in Canada play a crucial role in creating communities and economies that are inclusive of immigrants and refugees. However, a lack of flexible, stable, long-term funding often holds non-profits back from being innovative and providing the level of support that communities …
Fund Announces Lead Investment in Mission Driven Finance Capital Partners
Tuesday May 23, 2023
The World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund today announced a $500,000 commitment to Mission Driven Finance (MDF) Capital Partners, a new vehicle to fuel inclusive economic development by equipping businesses and projects doing good with the right capital in the right size …
PeaceGeeks and Immigrant Networks Pilot New Mentorship Platform
Wednesday May 3, 2023
With an increasing number of immigrants arriving in Canada, there is a need for accessible tools that can assist newcomers as they navigate the Canadian job market. To address this need, PeaceGeeks, a Vancouver-based non-profit that creates digital tools to support displaced people, …
Fund Partners with Village Capital on Accelerator Program to Advance Climate Justice for Migrants and Communities of Color
Tuesday April 25, 2023
Seeking 10-12 early-stage startups supporting immigrants, refugees, and communities of color disproportionately impacted by climate change Village Capital, with support from the World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund, today launched an accelerator program for startups creating inclusive solutions for immigrants, refugees, …
New Grants to Au Coeur de l’Enfance, Béati Foundation, and Solidarity Across Borders to Support Immigrants and Refugees in Quebec
Monday April 24, 2023
The WES Mariam Assefa Fund is excited to announce C$600,000 in grants to organizations working to support immigrants and refugees in Quebec. This new funding is supporting Au Coeur de l’Enfance and Solidarity Across Borders in their efforts to address the barriers that …
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