Afro Women and Youth Foundation

What Afro Women and Youth Foundation does

Afro Women and Youth Foundation (AWYF) is a Canadian registered charity (Registration Number 767931934 RR 0001) founded in 2019 by Adebola Adefioye in Sudbury, Ontario. The organization delivers culturally responsive, trauma-informed programs to Black immigrant women, youth (ages 8-25), and newcomer families across Sudbury and Toronto, addressing settlement, mental health, leadership, economic advancement, and gender-based violence. AWYF's service portfolio is organized into several programmatic pillars: the Women's Wellness and Vocational Circle (WWVC), an 8-week combined mental health, vocational, and economic-advancement program with on-site child minding; Settlement Services comprising a food bank (with culturally specific food baskets), clothing bank, hygiene products distribution, resume critique, and a back-to-school program; Youth Programs including Crafts4Mental Health (CMH) and Sports4Mental Health (SMH); Mental Health and Wellness offerings such as quarterly Black Community Health & Wellness Fairs and Mental Health 101 psychoeducation workshops; Leadership and Advocacy Training for both youth and women/girls; the BIPOC Stories4Change multimedia storytelling project; and IPV/GBV community dialogues and Safe Space Support Circles. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally minimal: AWYF operates without proprietary software, mobile applications, or API integrations, and relies on in-person delivery at its Sudbury Community Centre (1191 Lansing Avenue, Unit 8) supplemented by virtual/hybrid workshops and partnerships that extend reach into schools, colleges, and community organizations. AWYF's business model is that of a fee-free service charity: there are no direct revenue streams from beneficiaries. Operating income is generated through a diversified mix of federal, provincial, and municipal grants; foundation funding (United Way NE Ontario, Sudbury Community Foundation, Canadian Tire Jumpstart, SHAD Canada); corporate sponsorships; and individual donations (accepted via CanadaHelps). The go-to-market motion is community-led, leveraging more than 20 strategic and funding partnerships — including CMHA Sudbury Manitoulin, YWCA Sudbury, WHAI Ontario, Réseau Access Network, Ontario Health, the Government of Canada, the City of Sudbury, and Future North — to drive beneficiary acquisition through referral, co-delivery, and trusted-channel outreach, with social media (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, X) and earned media (CBC, CTV, Radio-Canada, Toronto Metropolitan University news) used as awareness engines.

Name

Afro Women and Youth Foundation

Legal name

Afro Women and Youth Foundation

Website

https://afrowyf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Afro Women and Youth Foundation is a Sudbury, Ontario-based registered charity delivering free, culturally responsive settlement, mental health, leadership, and economic-advancement programs to Black immigrant women, youth, and newcomer families across Sudbury and Toronto.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Services and Nonprofit Settlement Support

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAC

After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGADAK

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAMALAO

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

SECONDARYEDALAFAF

Health Promotion, Prevention & Wellness Education

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Student Health, Counseling & Wellness Services

Keywords

• Settlement services
• Mental health programs
• Youth empowerment
• Newcomer support
• Community wellness

Headquarters

HQ city

Sudbury

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations and Grants: AWYF operates as a registered charity (Number 767931934 RR 0001) funded through charitable donations, government grants, foundation funding, and corporate sponsorships. The organization does not charge for services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Afro Women and Youth Foundation (AWYF) is a registered Canadian charity that provides free, culturally responsive programs and material supports to Black immigrant women, youth, and newcomer families in Sudbury and Toronto. Its offerings span settlement services (food bank, clothing bank, hygiene products, resume critique, back to school), mental health and wellness programs (psychoeducation workshops, health & wellness fairs), youth programs (Crafts4Mental Health, Sports4Mental Health), women's vocational and wellness circles, leadership and advocacy training, BIPOC storytelling, and IPV/GBV awareness and support services.

Product overview

Afro Women and Youth Foundation (AWYF) is a registered charity founded in 2019 offering a comprehensive suite of culturally responsive programs and services for Black immigrant women, youth, and families. The organization operates across multiple program pillars including: Women's Wellness and Vocational Circle (WWVC) providing 8-week empowerment programs combining mental health support, vocational skills training, and economic advancement services; Settlement Services including Food Bank, Clothing Bank, Hygiene Products, Resume Critique, and Back to School programs; Youth Programs featuring Crafts4Mental Health (CMH) and Sports4Mental Health (SMH) wellness initiatives, Youth Games & Creative Night, and DIY Activities; Mental Health & Wellness programming including Black Community Health & Wellness Fairs and Psychoeducation Workshops; Leadership and Advocacy Training for both youth (YLAT) and women/girls; BIPOC Stories4Change multimedia storytelling initiative; and IPV & GBV Services including Safe Space Support Circles and awareness campaigns. The organization serves communities in Toronto and Sudbury, Ontario.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Women's Wellness and Vocational Circle (WWVC) An 8-week program designed to improve Black women's mental health, wellness, and economic situation through arts-based activities, vocational skills training, and empowerment workshops, providing individualized wraparound support with on-site child minding.
• Economic Advancement Services Services offering resume critique, interview readiness, free shopping at the clothing bank for interviews, and support for small businesses with grants where project funding allows.
• IPV & GBV Awareness, Education and Support Culturally responsive and trauma-informed approach to addressing Gender-Based Violence and Intimate Partner Violence, providing community education, public awareness, advocacy, safe space support circles, and referrals to local services.
• Crafts4Mental Health (CMH) Arts-based wellness program launched in 2022 for Black youth ages 8-16, offering mindfulness activities, stress relief, and mental health enhancement through creative activities including Beading, Jewellery making, Painting, Hairdressing, Clay Arts, Self-Portraits, Tye-Dye, Crocheting, Knitting, Basic Sewing, Cooking & Baking, and Gardening.
• Sports4Mental Health (SMH) Wellness program launched in 2022 for Black youth ages 8-16, offering physical activities including Afro Dance, Salsa Dance, Basketball, Swimming, Body Movement, and Soccer to enhance mental health and wellness.
• Youth Games & Creative Night Mindful space for teenagers and youth ages 8-16 featuring games (Snooker Board, Air Hockey, Chess, Ludo, Mancala, Board Games), arts-based activities, and facilitated conversations around Mental Health, Goal Setting, Self-Care, and Academic Success.
• Food Bank Program Regular Food Bank Program providing food support for newcomer families and community members, including specially prepared Cultural Food Baskets for Black families, available by appointment.
• Clothing Bank Free clothing bank service for community members in need, offering clothing items for all ages by appointment on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Hygiene Products Distribution Free hygiene products distribution for community members in need, supported by United Way North Eastern Ontario, available by appointment while supplies last.
• Resume Critique Service 45-minute one-on-one appointments on Fridays teaching participants to modify resumes to Canadian standards, improve resumes for employer visibility, and gain interview insights.
• Back to School Program Program supporting school-age children and families with back-to-school resources and supplies.
• Black Community Health & Wellness Fair Quarterly outreach initiative designed to address health disparities, promote preventative care, and build a healthier community through free, accessible, stigma-free health education and screening services.
• Psychoeducation Workshops - Mental Health 101 Partnership with Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Sudbury Manitoulin offering Mental Health 101 workshops to promote mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and support recognition and response to common mental health concerns.
• Youth Leadership & Advocacy Training (YLAT) Training program for youth ages 14-25 building leadership and advocacy skills through empowerment workshops focusing on Youth Leadership, Goals Setting, Public Speaking, Cultural Identity, Self-Advocacy, Social Issues, Community Engagement, Project Management, Visualization, and Storytelling for Change.
• Women & Girls Leadership Training Leadership training program for Girls (ages 8-12 and 13-17) and Women (ages 18+) designed to help envision leadership potential and gain insights into advocacy as a tool for social change, with participants designing community-based projects around social justice issues.
• BIPOC Stories4Change Project for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) women and gender-diverse individuals to reflect on lived experiences and create multi-media art, video, or digital stories through empowering forms of expression, with completed videos featured in virtual public screenings.
• Safe Space Support Circle Peer-led support circle facilitated by immigrant women from the Immigrant Working Group in partnership with AWYF, Reseau Access Network, and WHAI Ontario, offering a welcoming space for women and anyone affected by GBV to connect, share, and heal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 Black immigrant women, youth and families served

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• SHAD CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership as 'Friend of SHAD Canada' providing SHAD scholarship information sessions to Black youth in Sudbury and Northern Ontario communities. Over two years of collaboration with Future North helping youth access transformational SHAD programs.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Sudbury ManitoulincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership delivering Mental Health 101 psychoeducation workshops to promote mental health literacy and reduce stigma in Black communities.
• YWCA SudburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on GBV and IPV community dialogues, 16 Days of Activism campaigns, and faith-based advocacy initiatives ending gender-based violence in Black communities.
• WHAI Ontario (Women and HIV/AIDS Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting Safe Space Healing Circle for Black women and Black Community Health & Wellness Fair, providing culturally responsive health programming.
• Réseau Access NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on health outreach, Safe Space Support Circle for GBV survivors, and Black Community Health & Wellness Fair delivering free health education and screening services.
• Canadian Tire Jumpstart CharitiescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding partner for Sports4Mental Health program supporting youth mental health through sports and community engagement activities.
• United Way North Eastern OntariocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting hygiene products program and Young Leaders on Board training. Core funding partner for community programming.
• Sudbury Community FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding partner for Black Youth Justice Project supporting youth leadership, advocacy, and community empowerment initiatives.
• Sudbury Workers' Educational Centre (SWEAC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Youth Worker Right workshops and community information sessions supporting newcomer wellness.
• Ontario HealthcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding partner for GBV & IPV Community Dialogue centering Black men's voices and community wellness initiatives.
• Government of CanadacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFederal government funding partner supporting settlement and integration programs for newcomers.
• City of SudburymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMunicipal funding partner supporting community programs and organizational operations.
• Future North / Futur NordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership hosting SHAD Canada Scholarship Information Sessions and expanding opportunities across Northern Ontario.
• Greater Men of Greater SudburymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on GBV and IPV Community Dialogue centering Black men's voices as allies and leaders in preventing violence.
• Sudbury PolicemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on GBV/IPV community dialogue and Black Youth Justice Project addressing youth rights and justice system education.
• Black Heritage Association of Nipissing District and Area (BHANDA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for North Bay Sports4Mental Health pilot project creating safe spaces for youth through sports and community engagement.
• CanAfriquemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting North Bay pilot project with African diaspora cultural programming including drumming activities.
• Cambrian CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlack History Month celebration and community outreach at Cambrian College.
• Laurentian UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity outreach and engagement with Black students and community members at Laurentian University.
• College BorealminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity engagement and outreach activities at College Boreal.
• Seneca CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through founder's academic connection and placement student program for Child Development students.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• YWCA Toronto: Major women's services organization in Toronto operating women's shelters, employment, and youth programs. AWYF is explicitly a partner with YWCA Sudbury, and YWCA's broader women's services portfolio provides a useful comparable for scale and scope.
• YMCA Greater Toronto: Large national settlement and youth services operator with broader scope. Comparable in delivering youth wellness, newcomer settlement, and community programs, but lacks AWYF's Black-specific cultural focus and serves a much wider population.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): National mental health organization with local branches. AWYF partners with CMHA Sudbury Manitoulin to deliver Mental Health 101 workshops; CMHA's broader mental health literacy and stigma-reduction mandate provides a comparable scalable model.

Direct peers

• Tropicana Community Services: Toronto nonprofit providing settlement, youth, and family services primarily to Black and Caribbean communities. Comparable to AWYF's multi-pillar settlement and youth empowerment model.
• Skills for Change: Toronto nonprofit delivering settlement, employment, and youth services to immigrant and racialized communities. Comparable to AWYF's resume critique, economic advancement, and newcomer integration programming.
• TAIBU Community Health Centre: Scarborough-based CHC specifically serving Black and African Caribbean communities with health, mental wellness, and settlement programming. Comparable to AWYF's culturally responsive wellness and Black-focused health services.
• Black Youth Helpline: Canada-wide helpline and referral service for Black youth and families. Comparable to AWYF's youth mental health and family support programming, though operating at a national telephone-based level rather than in-person community delivery.
• DESTA Black Youth Network: Toronto-based nonprofit serving Black youth (ages 12-25) with leadership, mentorship, and wellness programming. Directly comparable to AWYF's youth leadership and mental health focus within the Canadian Black community services ecosystem.
• Africa Centre: Edmonton-based organization serving African immigrants and refugees with settlement, youth, and cultural programming. Comparable to AWYF in cultural responsiveness and Black immigrant service focus, though operating in a different province.
• Culture Link: Toronto-based settlement agency serving immigrants and refugees with youth, seniors, and newcomer programs. Comparable to AWYF's community-based settlement and youth services for newcomer families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/afrowyf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@afrowyf
• Facebookfacebook.com/AfroWYF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afro-women-and-youth-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/afrowyf

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Afro Women and Youth Foundation