Our first newsletter!
The Nii’kinaaganaa Newsletter
Your donations are the rent you pay - and this is what we’re doing with them
Welcome to our first official newsletter! Our aim is to update regular and one-time donors on where their donations are going each month and shine a light on the invaluable and often urgent support being provided thanks to these donations.
If you’re new to Nii’kinaaganaa, we’re a non-profit, mutual aid foundation that collects money and distributes it to Indigenous-led groups and individuals across so-called Canada to support grassroots organizing, cultural development, and material needs. Since we began operating in November 2021, we’ve disbursed over $150,000 across Indigenous communities. While this may seem like a lot, the sad reality is that we still have to turn down aid requests every month—which makes your support all the more critical and appreciated.
First, some gratitude.
Thank you to Sarah, Alex, Benjamin, Alessandra, Em, Kyle, Noor, Josh, Damien, Lisanne, Sara, Brianne, Ashley, Cheryl, Riley, Ariane, Brontee, Erika, and Jen who joined as new patrons, or upgraded their monthly support on Patreon or Paypal! Also thankful for Kyle, Nicole, Christine, Laurena, Cathleen, Kaitlyn, Madeline, and Ellery for your one-time donations.
Please note that beginning on November 1 new patrons using the Patreon iOS app will have 30% of their donation redirected to Apple. This is only applicable to NEW signups on Patreon through the Apple app. If you signed up before November 1, use android, or sign up on your desktop this does not apply.
More about us and how you can donate
Now let’s meet the Board Members that help guide our foundation’s mission!
Joy Henderson (Toronto) is a Black-Lakota writer, mother, masters student, and Child and Youth Care practitioner. Growing up in Regent Park and the urban Indigenous community in Tkaronto, she has grounded her work in community collaboration and transformative values. She is a commentator on Canadian politics, education, 2SLGBTQ+ issues, and Black and Indigenous identity. Joy has written op-eds for the Toronto Star and spoken at various events.
Patty Krawec (Niagara) is an Anishnaabekwe from Lac Seul First Nation, living in Niagara Falls, Ontario. She is a podcaster on both Medicine for the Resistance and Ambe. Her first book, Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting Our Past and Reimagining Our Future was released by Broadleaf Books in September 2022. You can find her on twitter @gindaanis and subscribe to her blog at thousandworlds.ca
Nora Loreto is a writer and activist based in Quebec City. Born in Rainy River, Ontario and raised in Georgetown, her ancestors settled in both Northern and Southern Ontario from England (to farm) and Italy (to mine). Nora is the co-host of the popular podcast Sandy and Nora Talk Politics and is the Editor of the Canadian Association of Labour Media.
Frances Elizabeth Moore (London) is an Anishinaabe Kwe from Timiskaming First Nations, Quebec residing in London, Ontario. She is a storyteller, community advocate, facilitator/educator, non-profit leader, and mother who is invested in promoting awareness for and healing in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities. She holds a Legal Administration Diploma from Georgian College, as well as several Indigenous-focused knowledge certificates from St. Francis Xavier and Wilfred Laurier University.
Terrill Tailfeathers (Calgary) is a member of the Blackfoot Confederacy and has a long history of activism for his community. He was recently with the Tiny House Warriors in BC.
And an organizer who’s practically a Board Member:
Debbie Ironbow (Saskatoon) is not only one of the organizers that we support, she is a retired power engineer and welder and an active community worker registered with Waterhen Lake First Nation, currently living in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She is the daughter of residential school survivors and a grandmother whose own daughter was a victim of the ongoing MMIWG2S crisis. Debbie’s community work focuses on feeding families in need and caring for the houseless community. She is committed to organizing against the harmful, traumatic, and oppressive policies born out of colonialism and we appreciate her insight and participation in our monthly meetings.
Every month we will introduce you to some of the people we are supporting. Individuals seeking help for survival needs come to us through advocates like those at the Dr. Peter Centre in Vancouver, BC. This allows us to form relationships with a wide range of programs across Canada. This is what the advocates at the Dr. Peter Centre have to say about our work:
The Dr. Peter Centre has been fortunate to collaborate with the Nii’kinaaganaa Foundation, which has opened doors for us to support individuals in ways we previously could not. Many people find themselves in situations requiring financial assistance, yet government crisis grants often fall short, leaving few alternatives. We have been able to provide support for essential needs such as rent, groceries, emergency travel to sick loved ones, and funerals.
The Fireweed program has been instrumental in making this possible. It’s hard to express how powerful it is to offer tangible support during someone’s toughest times without the burden of extensive paperwork or the need to justify why the funds are needed.
As Indigenous and Settler staff, we recognize the disproportionate impact of ongoing colonial violence on Indigenous peoples, and we advocate for justice and unconditional support for all Indigenous people living on Turtle Island.
Thank you, Nii’kinaaganaa, for your invaluable support of the people we care about.
You can help grow our support by sharing this newsletter with people who might be interested in what we are doing and may be able to help us do more!
That’s all for now! Next month, we’ll introduce you to more organizers and organizations that we support and share some stories about the positive impact they’re making in their communities.
Thanks for reading and supporting,
The Nii’kinaaganaa Team