Our annual day of giving is known as AOK Day, and we celebrate on the summer solstice by engaging our community through giving in all directions. This year, Heart Balloon Girl had a new gift up her sleeve. And our Youth Connection Cultivators instigated a community conversation about giving and receiving.
And while AOK Day is in June, we believe that every day we give is an AOK Day.
We honor and celebrate the work our partners do every day to help youth be valiant.
ARDEA YOUTH CLIMATE COALITION - Kalamazoo Nature Center: The crew from Ardea has met with our founders and YCC to teach us how we can become more climate aware in the work we do, and we have supported their efforts to do the same in the broader community.
BIG PRIDE - partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters and OutFront Kalamazoo: We support the great work of both organizations and we are proud to have partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters to bring a Koa Café conversation to a group of their youth and mentors.
FIRE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL ARTS COLLABORATIVE: We love their mission as a brave space - inspiring truth and freedom - where creativity nurtures youth to express, heal, and connect with self and others. We are thrilled to offer our support for such bravery.
KIDS' FOOD BASKET: Suggested by our Youth Connection Cultivators, they perfectly align with Koa's passion for food and feeding the hungry, and their work for food equity takes it to another level.
KOA FUND: 100% of your donation supports youth development, including the great work of these partners.
GAY STRAIGHT ALLIANCE - Loy Norrix High School - Kalamazoo Public Schools: Brought to us by our Youth Connection Cultivators as a way for the Koa Fund to provide support direct to youth making real change for each other.
GIRLS BUILD KALAMAZOO: Our relationship with Twala Lockett-Jones began when her home-to-be for this organization burned in a fire in June of 2020, and we are honored to support her as she continues to build something beautiful.
J.A.B.S. (JUSTICE AGAINST BULLYING @SCHOOL) - HOPE Through Navigation: It has been our pleasure to financially support the work of J.A.B.S. as well as volunteer at their super fun annual YOUth Connect spring break event.
KALAMAZOO INSTITUTE OF ARTS: Highly influential in Koa's artistic development and inspiration, supporting the KIA, and in particular their work with youth, is a mainstay for the Koa Fund.
MAPEA - Natalya Critchley: We are honored to provide pivotal support in enabling the MAPEA program, which enables youth to critically examine their urban environment through multidisciplinary art.
MOVE WITH JOY: We are grateful for the opportunity to support the scholarship fund of this family owned Kalamazoo movement studio, and we are blessed by the beautiful stories of the kids who now dance.
NIÑAS DEL CORAZÓN - Community Healing Centers: The Koa Fund founders have lots of heart for this program that helps Latina girls and their families to heal and empowers young Latina women to excel.
OPEN ROADS: Their doors are open as a great spot for job skill training, apprenticeships, and bike repair services for youth, as well as a friendly place to find community and belonging. We are grateful to help keep them rolling.
OUTFRONT KALAMAZOO: An important organization for Koa, as for so many in our LGBTQ+ community, we are honored to support OutFront and proud to fly Koa's banner, "I stand for love."
READ AND WRITE KALAMAZOO (RAWK): For more than 10 years, RAWK has been beautifully cultivating youth reading and writing skills with joy and creativity. We are steadfast in our support.
SPEAK IT FORWARD: Their dedication to transforming, uplifting, and empowering youth in authentic, grassroots, and powerful ways is inspiring. We are grateful to be partners and appreciate their wisdom and willingness to share.
YOUNG KINGS & QUEENS: We are honored to support the dedication of Young Kings & Queens to the empowerment and inspiration of minority youth to live beyond the scopes of societal norms.
KOA FUND: 100% of your donation supports youth development, including the great work of these partners.