The Guelph Black Heritage Society says it has received $5,000 for its #ChangeStartsNow educational campaign.
The funding is from the Guelph Community Foundation and Guelph Historical Society.
The grant will support a key pillar in the heritage society’s campaign, which is the development of a booklet on Black history in Guelph and Wellington County.
Another aspect of the campaign is a list of 100 educational resources, such as books and movies, that are curated by volunteers for those seeking factual information on Black history and issues.
It also includes online educational and cultural events and a directory of Black-owned and operated businesses in Guelph, Wellington County and Waterloo Region.
There are also plans for Heritage Hall, the former British Methodist Episcopal Church on Essex Street that was bought by the organization in 2011.
Those include educational and cultural programming at the building and the establishment of a library of Black literature.
The goal of the campaign is to raise $135,000 — a figure that represents $1 from each of Guelph’s residents — by Dec. 1.
More information about the campaign and ways to donate can be found on the Guelph Black Heritage Society’s website.