The Okra Project

Founded in New York and focused on supporting members of the Black Trans community, The Okra Project’s mission is to provide healthy, home-cooked, and culturally specific meals to Black Trans Folks wherever they can, at no cost to them. They do so by hiring Black Trans chefs to go into people’s homes and cook them meals, and by partnering with non-profit and community based organizations to deliver meals to houseless people. They have some additional programs focused on Black Trans physical and mental health as well:

• The Okra Academy: a weekend program that provides culinary training to provide Black Trans folks with basic cooking skills for their own lives or skills they might need to get hired as a chef themselves

• International Grocery Fund: a donation-based fund that allows The Okra Project to send small grants to Black Trans folks experiencing emergency food shortages

• Okra Outings: free opportunities for Black Trans folks to visit broadway performances and share a free meal

• #ByOkra: a monthly affinity and wellness space for Black Trans people

The Okra Project is also committing $15,000 to the Nina Pop Mental Health Recovery Fund and the Tony McDade Mental Health Recovery Fund and asking for community members to help match this donation, which can be done through their website.

They are largely reliant on individual donations to provide these services. There are suggested donation amounts based on expenses on The Okra Project’s website, and direct donations can be made through their sponsor, the Arts Business Collaborative.

For more information, follow them on Instagram.