Next up in our new series highlighting the ads we’re running for equity-focused charities in Canada is Venture Kids Canada.

The Toronto-based charity provides free coding, design, entrepreneurship and more to students living in underserved neighbourhoods so youth (regardless of where they live) can learn the skills they need to succeed. Not every family can afford to enroll their children in costly after-school or part-time coding and entrepreneurship classes, after all. This puts these children at a life-long disadvantage.

Computer programming and STEM careers are the fastest-growing and well-paid jobs across the country. Venture Kids Canada is determined to help accelerate access to in-demand technical skills that will give the country’s youth living in underserved neighbourhoods the skills they need to compete in tomorrow’s economy. Through its free programs, they teach  students web development, design, product development and financial literacy fundamentals. They also provide breakfast/lunch, laptops for youth who cannot afford devices and access to transportation grants.

To help Venture Kids “hack the future,” we provided media space in our November 2020 issue of Toronto Life and November/December 2020 issue of Today’s Parent.  Venture Kids is raising awareness about its new exclusive t-shirts, now on sell, with proceeds going to support its free STEM programs. The ad features the work of Canadian illustrator Alex Eke, a Toronto-based artist who has also created t-shirts for the Toronto Raptors. The three t-shirts are designed by Black entrepreneurs including Takara Small, award-winning entrepreneur and journalist, as well as Executive Director of Venture Kids;  Claudette McGowan, award-winning, globally-focused information technology leader; and Rookz Eastmond, award-winning entrepreneur, the founder of Sandbox Studios and the former Executive Director of Manifesto.

Helping to raise money and awareness for Venture Kids, the t-shirt campaign will also support local charities. Each of the three t-shirt designers will choose a local nonprofit/charity of their choice to receive 10 per cent of their t-shirt proceeds.

Visit VentureKids.ca to learn more and to purchase a t-shirt.