Olive Tree Foundation to fund Annual Indigenous Spirit Bear Award

The Olive Tree Foundation has announced that it will fund an annual award to support Indigenous young people through the Mohamed and Opheera Nasir Endowment Fund.

“We are grateful to the Olive Tree Foundation (Mohamed and Opheera Nasir Endowment Fund) for their generous annual contribution to the Spirit Bear Award,” said Dr. Cindy Blackstock, PhD (Social Work), Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada.

The Spirit Bear Award is an annual award of First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and goes to a group of young people who demonstrate their commitment to reconciliation and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

Created in 2019, the Spirit Bear Award is named in honour of Spirit Bear, who is a symbol of reconciliation and equity for kids.

“The Olive Tree Foundation is pleased to be able to support Indigenous youths through an annual contribution to the Spirit Bear Award,” said Muneeb Nasir, Chair of Olive Tree Foundation. “We are grateful to all Indigenous groups for their commitment to protect the land and its resources and we are committed to reconciliation, partnership and enhanced understanding.”

This year, three awards of $500 will be given to groups of young people to use as they would like toward their activities or simply to celebrate!

The ‘Mohamed and Opheera Nasir Endowment Fund’, which is an OTF Donor Advised Fund, was established to honor the significant contributions to the Canadian Muslim community of late Mohamed Nasir and his wife, Opheera Nasir; and as a memorial to honor their parents Shabaan and Mohammed Nasir (parents of Opheerah) and Jinette and Mohamed Ishmael (parents of Mohamed).

Building on the interest of First Nations child and family services leaders to create a national networking organization, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada (the Caring Society) was developed at the Squamish First Nation in 1998 at a national meeting of First Nations child and family service agencies.