In the spring of 2024 the RFC awarded over $230,000 to almost 200 children as four new families joined our community. This brings our grand total granted in the RFC’s history to more than $9 million!

NEW GRANTS

Parents and Children Fight for Trans Rights $10,500 for therapy, summer camps and sports for seven children, ages nine to 14, from three families fighting for transgender rights. In response to the public-facing activism of the parents and their children, they received hate messages from around the world and were swarmed and shoved by violent counter-protesters. Many had to relocate to asylum states for trans youth. Location Withheld

Mom Seeks Justice After Police Shooting $1500 for art classes for a 17-year-old boy whose mother became an outspoken critic of police violence after his father was murdered by police in a shooting streamed live on Facebook. The mother continues to lead marches and make public speeches calling for justice and both mother and son have been harassed, had their property destroyed and had trash thrown at them in public. MN

CIVIL LIBERTIES

Fathers Falsely Accused $9600 for homeschooling expenses and a Carry It Forward (CIF) [1] award for seven children, ages nine to 18, from two families. Their fathers spoke out against the Iraq war and were falsely accused of terrorist activity and hunted by the FBI as a result. GA, OH

Activists Forced Out of Work $4500 for music equipment, sports, school supplies and therapy for three children, ages five to 17, from two families whose parents were fired for advocating for racial justice and free press rights. CA, MN

Mother Surveilled $4500 for childcare and recreational activities for three children, ages five to 12, whose mom faced harassment and surveillance for advocating for political prisoners unjustly targeted in the U.S. “war on terror.” MA

FBI Whistleblower Prosecuted $1888 for therapy and ice skating for two children, ages 10 and 13, whose father leaked documents that exposed racist surveillance tactics in the U.S. He was sentenced to prison and faced hefty legal fees. CA

Journalist Stabbed $1500 for tutoring for the 10-year-old daughter whose father, a journalist, was attacked while covering a neo-Nazi rally. He was arrested and had his camera confiscated while his attacker walked free. CA

Mom Targeted $1000 for karate lessons for an eight-year-old girl whose mom went public about being stopped by a Customs and Border Patrol agent because she was speaking Spanish. She took legal action and had to move to escape the harassment she endured for speaking out. Location Withheld

Student Activist Harassed $1000 for school supplies for a 16-year-old Black student in a majority-white school who filed a civil rights lawsuit after a teacher shoved and berated her for declining to say the pledge of allegiance. SC

Mayor Fights to Govern $750 for learning tools for the four-year-old daughter of a town’s first Black mayor, a longtime community activist, who was systematically barred from assuming office and suspended from his EMT position by corrupt town officials who do not want to see him in power. AL

ENVIRONMENTAL & ANIMAL RIGHTS

Parents Fight to Protect Environment $21,200 for a broad range of programs and two CIF awards for 15 children, ages three to 23, from six families. Some parents were beaten and arrested while marching against environmental racism, while others were attacked or imprisoned for their organizing work. AR, CA, GA, NY

Environmental Racism Protesters Targeted $14,100 for educational and sports programs and a CIF award for 10 children, ages one to 18, from four families who have spent years organizing against environmental racism in their communities and have faced targeting by employers and police. AL

Pipeline Protesters Persecuted $5500 for tuition, educational supplies, and museum memberships for four children, ages one to 13, from two families. Their parents helped disrupt pipeline operations and bring attention to the impact of the fossil fuel industry. One parent was physically assaulted and another faced felony charges. VA, WI

Young Environmental Activist Expelled $1500 for homeschooling support for a 15-year-old who was expelled from school and harassed after he began a public protest every Friday afternoon to raise awareness of global heating. WI

GENDER EQUALITY, LGBTQ & REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

Reproductive Justice Organizers Threatened $10,500 for childcare, tutoring and tuition for seven children, ages three to 18, from three families that faced severe harassment and attacks as a result of their fights for reproductive justice. Location Withheld

Daughter Harassed $2700 for educational and sports supplies and two CIF awards for three 18 to 24-year-old siblings whose family faced harassment after their mother held school personnel accountable for wildly inappropriate behavior towards her daughter and other female students. AL

Teen Activist Creating Safer World $1500 for organizing support for a 17-year-old drag performer and gender liberation activist who builds safe spaces for gender-nonconforming youth despite years of harassment. NY

Mother Threatened with Loss of Son $1500 for equine therapy for the 16-year-old daughter whose mother, an LGBTQIA+ rights activist, was threatened by the state with the removal of one of her children because of her organizing. OR

Mother and Daughters Assaulted $1000 for school tuition for the 17-year-old son whose family had to flee their home country after his mother and sisters were brutalized for the mom’s work against female genital mutilation. NY

HUMAN RIGHTS

Parents Forced to Flee $9500 for educational and enrichment activities for six children, ages seven to 18, from four families whose parents fled their home countries after their human rights activism put them in immediate danger. IL, MA, NY

Mom Fights for Indigenous Rights $4500 for rock climbing and tutoring for two siblings and their cousin, ages eight, 10 and 15, whose guardian was repeatedly stalked and threatened for her efforts to change Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. NM

Activist Mother Loses Work $3500 for DJ equipment and a CIF award for three siblings, ages 12 to 20, whose mom advocated against racism and rape culture in schools. In retaliation, she lost important contracts with the local schools and government and was forced to relocate. OK

IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS

Immigrants’ Rights Advocates Targeted $9947 for education and sports expenses and two CIF awards for nine children, ages four to 18, from four families. Their parents were detained, fired or targeted by ICE as a result of their work exposing injustices in the immigration system. Location Withheld

Hunger Strike Participant Threatened $3000 for summer camp for two kids, ages 11 and 15, whose father participated in a hunger strike at a detention center to protest the detention of immigrants and unsafe conditions during the pandemic. As a result, he was threatened with deportation and told he would not be eligible for release. Location Withheld

Father Deported $2000 for school supplies for the 17-year-old daughter whose father was detained and deported in an apparent act of retaliation for his years of leadership within the immigrants’ rights movement. Location Withheld

Dad Targeted While in Sanctuary $1350 for educational supplies and a CIF award for two children, ages 15 and 20, whose father is an immigrants’ rights leader. Since being denied a stay of deportation and entering sanctuary, DHS and ICE officials have escalated threats and pressure against him. Location Withheld

LABOR & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

Educator Fired & Harassed $3000 for tutoring for the two children, ages 11 and 17, whose mother, a teacher, fought for the well-being of all students after her young autistic child was physically assaulted by an aide at school. As a result of her efforts, the school fired her and reported her as an unfit parent. AL

Mother Fired for Advocating for Anti-Racist Workplace $3000 for track and cheerleading expenses for two children, ages 11 and 16, whose mom was fired after she advocated for an anti-racist framework at her job. She was subsequently harassed, and her home was threatened, forcing the family to move. NC

Mom Fired for Advocacy $3000 for school tuition for two kids, ages 12 and 16, whose mother was fired for advocating for the needs of her students. GA

Union Organizer Fired $1500 for educational support for the 11-year-old daughter whose mother was fired for organizing a union at her Starbucks. TN

PEACE

Children and Parents Working Together for Peace $14,600 for a wide range of programs for 11 children, ages three to 19, from four families in pacifist communities. Their parents have engaged in peaceful anti-war protests and many have been imprisoned for civil disobedience. ME, NC, VA, WA

Support for Children of Torture Survivors $3500 for a group grant for occupational therapy and enrichment activities for kids whose activist parents survived torture in their home countries. The program serves 14 children, ages 10 to 21, from six families. IL

Father Fights to Stop Grand Jury Witch Hunts $2000 for healing support for the 19-year-old daughter whose father, a member of a peace and international solidarity group, had his home raided and was threatened with arrest but refuses to testify before a grand jury investigating anti-war activists. IL

Peace Activist’s Vehicle Vandalized $1500 for tuition for the 15-year-old grandson whose grandmother (with whom he lives part time) travels the U.S. advocating for social justice. In response to her activism, her vehicle has been vandalized on numerous occasions and drivers have tried to run her off the road. GA

PRISONERS’ RIGHTS/U.S. POLITICAL PRISONERS

Mothers Threatened for Helping Prisoners $7200 for school and sports expenses and two CIF awards for six children, ages 10 to 23, from two families. Their mothers have been denied jobs or threatened with prosecution for advocating for individuals wronged in the criminal justice system. AL, NY

Sons of Political Prisoners Targeted $7000 for school tuition and sports programs for five children, aged 13 to 20, from two families. Both fathers, themselves the sons of political prisoners, have experienced harassment and job loss because of their activism. GA, PA

Former Political Prisoner Harassed $2000 for orchestra and photography camp for the 16-year-old twins whose father was incarcerated for anti-apartheid efforts and continues to face targeting for his work to free political prisoners. MA

Dad Punished for Anti-Prison Art $1454 for aerial arts camp for the 11-year-old daughter whose father, recently released from a decade in prison, advocates for prison abolition in his poetry and writing. His advocacy while incarcerated resulted in prolonged periods in solitary confinement, violent attacks and isolation from his family. CO

RACIAL JUSTICE

Fathers Fired and Harassed for Organizing $14,100 for tuition and sports programs for ten children, ages two to 19, from four families. The fathers all lost their jobs or faced police harassment for their public-facing antiracism organizing work. CO, GA

Fighting Racism in Education Costs Families $6200 for education support and two CIF awards for six kids, ages seven to 19, from two families involved in the fight for racial justice in education. The parents have worked to improve equity in schools and universities and have been harassed and/or have lost their jobs as a result of their organizing. GA

Parents Threatened and Harassed by Police $6000 for summer camp and a CIF award for six children, ages one to 21, from two related families. Their parents have been threatened and one has been jailed because of their work for racial and gender justice. OR

Mothers Persist Despite Violent Intimidation $5100 for homeschooling supplies, gymnastics, therapy and a CIF award for four children, ages five to 21, from three families. Their mothers are leaders in the fight for police reform, immigration reform and racial justice organizing. They have received death threats, attention from white supremacists and pressure to relocate their families. MD, TX, WA

Students Fight for Justice in Higher Education $4000 for Targeted Activist Youth (TAY) [2] Development grants for four college students ages 21 to 24 who were beaten and charged with felonies for peacefully protesting the profound inequities in their state’s education system. FL

Peaceful Organizer Charged $2000 for therapy for the 16-year-old son of a racial justice organizer who was unjustly arrested at a peaceful protest. Because prosecutors charged her with gang involvement, she faced up to eight years in jail. AZ

Young Civil Rights Activist Targeted A $1000 TAY Development grant for the 20-year-old targeted activist who was bullied due to her leadership in the BLM movement. Location Withheld

ATTICA PRISON VISITS [3]

$2000 for an Attica Grant to allow the great-grandchildren of an Indigenous political prisoner to visit their relative as he serves two life sentences for his role in the American Indian Movement. SD

CIF AWARDS

$3000 for five CIF awards for five young adult beneficiaries from three families. Their parents are active organizers for environmental and animal rights, global human rights and more. AL, IL

GROCERY GIFT CARDS

$2,000 to provide $200 grocery gift cards for current RFC beneficiary families facing emergency circumstances.

 

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[1] CIF awards of $600 are given to 18 to 24-year-olds to help pay for the costs associated with college or similar programs to help prepare them for adult life.

[2] TAY Development grants of up to $1000 are given to Targeted Activist Youths to further their educational needs or develop their organizing skills.

[3] Attica Fund Prison Visit grants enable the children and grandchildren of political prisoners to visit their incarcerated loved ones.