As Canada marks 30 years of Black History Month, we are invited to do more than reflect on the past — we are challenged to examine the present conditions shaping Black lives and to consider what meaningful investment in Black futures truly requires.
At Tropicana Community Services, this moment is both deeply personal and profoundly operational. For more than three decades, Black History Month has been a time to honour resilience, leadership, culture, and contribution. Yet it must also be a time to confront the realities that persist beneath celebration — including the economic inequities that continue to shape the lives of Black communities across Scarborough and the Greater Toronto Area.
As Director of Fundraising and Philanthropy, one reality sits at the center of my work: we fundraise within the same Black communities that rely on our services. That proximity strengthens trust and accountability—but it also reveals a truth that must be named with honesty and care.
Fundraising from the Black community to support Black community outcomes is hard. Not because of a lack of generosity or belief — but because many Black households are operating under sustained economic pressure.
The economic context behind the work
Nationally, Black Canadians experience the highest rates of food insecurity in the country. In 2023, 40.4% of Black people lived in food-insecure households — nearly four in ten families without reliable access to adequate food.
In Toronto, the crisis is visible and accelerating. Approximately one in four households experienced food insecurity in 2023, while food bank usage reached historic levels, with more than 4.1 million visits in the past year — a 340% increase since 2019.
Housing instability further compounds these pressures. Toronto’s most recent Street Needs Assessment found that 58% of people experiencing homelessness identified as Black, despite Black residents making up roughly 10% of the city’s population. Scarborough — where Tropicana has been rooted for generations — continues to face higher-than-average poverty rates, including rising child poverty in several neighbourhoods. These conditions are not abstract. They are the daily realities of the families, youth, and seniors we serve.
What this means for fundraising
Black History Month reminds us that Black generosity has always existed — even in the absence of wealth. Mutual aid, volunteerism, faith-based giving, and collective care have sustained Black communities for generations.
The challenge today is not willingness. It is capacity.
When families are navigating rising living costs, housing instability, and food insecurity, even those who deeply believe in Tropicana’s mission may not be able to give financially at traditional levels. That reality demands a fundraising approach grounded in truth, dignity, and strategy.
This is why Tropicana continues to honour grassroots giving — while also prioritizing institutional, corporate, and philanthropic investment, particularly multi-year funding that provides stability and long-term impact.
Naming systemic barriers — without blame
As we engage corporate and institutional partners, we also encounter challenges shaped by broader market behaviour:
These dynamics are not about intent — they are about systems. Yet the impact is tangible: Black-serving organizations are often expected to deliver transformational results with limited, short-term resources.
At this 30-year milestone, Black History Month calls us to ask a harder question: What does it mean to honour Black history without investing in Black futures?
Why multi-year investment matters — operationally
Multi-year funding is not symbolic; it is practical.
Stable investment allows Tropicana to plan beyond annual cycles, retain skilled staff, reduce burnout, invest in evaluation and accountability, respond to emerging needs, and deliver clear, measurable outcomes to partners. In an era of rising demand and economic volatility, predictability is a form of risk mitigation — for both the organization and the communities we serve.
A partnership pathway for the next chapter
As we reflect on 30 years of Black History Month in Canada, Tropicana invites partners to move from acknowledgment to action through a clear engagement framework:
i. Entry Partners — Start with Stability
Monthly or annual contributions, support for core programs, and employee volunteer engagement.
Outcome: Immediate community impact and service continuity.
ii. Growth Partners — Invest in Outcomes
Multi-year program funding with outcome-based reporting and evaluation.
Outcome: Stronger programs, measurable results, scalable impact.
iii. Anchor Partners — Build Infrastructure & Change Systems
Long-term, flexible investment supporting organizational capacity, advocacy, and executive-level partnership.
Outcome: Sustainable Black infrastructure and systems-level change.
Honouring contribution in all its forms
Commemoration must also include celebration. We honour the many ways community members give back — even when resources are limited:
Every contribution strengthens our collective ability to move forward.
Celebrating progress through data-driven impact
Tropicana has come into its strength through the intentional collection and analysis of impact data used to guide decision-making and deepen accountability. By tracking outcomes across programs, we move beyond anecdotal success stories to an evidence-based understanding of what works, where gaps remain, and how resources can be deployed most effectively.
Recent documented outcomes include:
Looking ahead
Black History Month is not only about where we have been — it is about where we are going. As we mark 30 years of recognition in Canada, the call is clear: celebration must be matched with investment. By combining grassroots generosity with courageous, multi-year partnership, we can build the stability, opportunity, and infrastructure that Black communities deserve — not just this month, but for generations to come.
Nicole Johnson-Mighty is the Director of Fundraising and Philanthropy for Tropicana Community Services.
