TAIBU is a new charity partner selected by our Anti-Black Racism Employee Resource Group (ERG).
Our Anti-Black Racism ERG was formed in the summer of 2020 during the demonstrations that swept around the world after George Floyd’s death. At that time, Nima, our President reached out to acknowledge the distress that people were feeling and offer support. Several employees came forward with a desire to do something positive to fight systemic racism and support the black community. The ERG was formed to educate our employees about black racism, the effects that it has and to influence change within Riverside and their communities. To date, the ERG has created two undergraduate university scholarship programs for black students, conducted employee education programs for Martin Luther King Day and Black History month and gained management approval to support TAIBU in Toronto.
TAIBU Community Health Centre provides primary health care and related services for Black populations across the Greater Toronto Area as its priority population and residents of the local community of Malvern. Recognizing that systemic oppression has fostered conditions of ill-health with Black communities, they strive to deliver these services through intersectional, equity based and culturally affirming practices which promote holistic wellness, health education and prevention.
The food donations from Riverside will support the Empringham Community Breakfast program and will also support clients at TAIBU through some of their food security efforts. The financial support will be used to augment the weekly Malvern Eats, as well of some of TAIBU’s other food security programs. Malvern Eats or ME is a weekly hot lunch provided to residents on a request basis. Prior to COVID it was a meal at our space, with 2 sittings that served about 200 people weekly. Since COVID we have moved ME to a takeout program. Meals are either picked up or delivered to local residents. They are now serving over 350 meals weekly and numbers are continually increasing. The cost of this program has also gone up significantly due to the use of take-out packaging. This program is a community partnership with the local food bank, the local Presbyterian Church, Muslim Welfare Canada and 42-Division police. They will look for more opportunities to involve Riverside employees and products in community events as the COVID restrictions lift.
Riverside is very appreciative of the work TAIBU does to fight the effects of systemic oppression and look forward to developing our relationship throughout the year.
If you can afford to, please consider TAIBU and give generously.
