Here are the Indigenous charities you should be supporting

Which Indigenous charities and campaigns should you be supporting? Following the death of George Floyd and the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests, you may be asking yourself how you can make a difference. 

Before we delve into the Indigenous charities and campaigns you may consider supporting, here are some key statistics to keep in mind: 

• More than 400 Indigeneous Australians have died in police custody since the royal commission in 1991
• Indigenous Australians make up 2% of the national population but represent 27% of the prison population
• Indigenous suicide increased from 5% of total Australian suicides in 1991, to 50% in 2010, especially among those aged 10-24 years of age
• Thirty-three pre cent of Indigenous adults reported high levels of psychological distress in 2014-15, and hospitalisations for self-harm increased by 56% between 2004-05 and 2014-15
• Indigenous children were almost 10 times more likely to be placed in out of home care than non-Indigenous children in 2015-16.

Here are some Indigenous charities and organisations you may consider supporting: 

• Healing Foundation 
• The Indigenous Literacy Foundation 
• The Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA)
• ANTaR
• Yalari
• Justice for David Dungay Junior
• Justice for Yuendumu: Inquiry on Police Shooting
• Indigenous Crisis Response & Recovery
• Gunawirra

Healing Foundation

The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation that partners with communities to address the ongoing trauma caused by actions including the forced removal of children from their families. Donate here.

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation strives to make a difference to the lives of Indigenous families by gifting thousands of new culturally appropriate books ⁠— with a focus on early literacy and first language ⁠— and by running programs to inspire the communities to tell and publish their own stories. Donate here.

The Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA)

The Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) works with Aboriginal communities, and key government and non-government stakeholders, to deliver services in a professional, culturally proficient and community sensitive manner.

The NAAJA Criminal and Civil Law services are delivered throughout the Northern Territory. Donate here.

ANTaR

ANTaR is an independent, national network of organisations and individuals working to support justice, rights and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. ANTaR’s mission is to engage, educate and mobilise a broad community movement to advocate for justice, rights and respect for Australia’s First Peoples. Donate here.

Yalari

Yalari identifies children who are doing well at primary school and gives them the opportunity to be educated at some of the best boarding schools throughout Australia. Yalari aims to provide young Indigenous people with the ideas and skills to help them pursue their goals and dreams. Donate here.

Gunawirra

Gunawirra works with Aboriginal mothers’ groups connecting mums and bubs to culture, as well as art therapy, speech therapy, nutrition and care packs for predominantly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander preschools in regional NSW. Learn more and donate here.

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There are also active GoFundMe campaigns for the families of those who have lost loved ones to police brutality, including: 

Justice for David Dungay Junior

In 2015, David Dungay (26) died in Long Bay jail in New South Wales due to police brutality. This GoFundMe page was set up by his mother Leetona Rose Dungay. Funds received from this page will be used to cover expenses, such travel costs to attend rallies and campaign events around our country. It will also cover legal expenses, accommodation and food for the family while they are campaigning. Donate here.

Justice for Yuendumu: Inquiry on Police Shooting

Kumanjayi Walker (19) was shot by police three times in his home at Yuendumu on November 9, 2019. The funds raised through this campaign will be withdrawn by organiser Lisa Watts to pay for lawyers to travel to Yuendumu to facilitate an independent inquiry into the shooting. While most of the lawyers will be working pro-bono, funds are still needed to cover the costs of airfares and other transport and associated forensic expertise. Donate here.

Indigenous Crisis Response & Recovery

The Indigenous Crisis Response & Recovery Aboriginal Corporation (ICRARAC) responds to the crisis needs of Indigenous people throughout Australia. This organisation has been established by Indigenous people for Indigenous people to respond to the bushfire crisis on the south east coast of Australia. Donate here.

Read: Indigenous, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders? It’s not black and white