Collaborative effort with Poverty Reduction, Community Action

Durham ACES is a group of BIPOC youth with lived experience of gun violence. The organization was started in honour of our fallen soldier, ‘ACE’.  The collective was very active in sports, music and community engagement and “wanted to keep his [ACE’s] light shining by giving back to our community.”

The organization offers tutoring for Math, English, French and Coding; it also offers sports camps during school breaks and some cultural activities such as steelpan and costume design/building. It also conducts workshops about issues that affect our youth such as mental health, financial literacy, job preparedness and civic engagement.

In December 2021 and January 2022 Durham ACES collaborated with the Durham Community Action Group for Food and Toy Distributions, which provided for over 500 families; the demand was so great that they felt the need to continue to fill that void. There are several food banks, but many people are still being left behind, especially the black community because the demand is greater than supply.

Although food distribution is outside of the organization’s scope, they know that youth cannot concentrate and learn if hungry; nourished healthy bodies feed and nurture healthy minds (that includes mental health).

Poverty reduction is a serious issue for all Canadians but more so for the black community.

A recent survey showed 60% of Canadians were worried about food insecurity, and it is certainly much higher for the black community, made worse as covid19 takes its toll.

The Durham ACES want to continue assisting the black community because in their words, “if we don’t care, who will?”

Friday, February 11, 2022: 12pm – 4pm the organization will be collaborating again with Durham Community Action Group to support families, shelters, community organizations and food banks.  This will be a chicken distribution, sponsored by the Chicken Farmers of Ontario.

Please register by email: durhamacesassociation@gmail.com or DCAGdurham@gmail.com