10 Ways to Support The Trail (That Don’t Involve Money)

Nonprofits run on donations - it’s a fact of life. While younger demographics show consistent passion for the work we do, Americans in general have less disposable income than in years past. Many young people assume that the only meaningful way to support a nonprofit is through monetary donations. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Students, early-career professionals, and young activists often have something just as valuable as money to give: energy, skills, time, creativity, and community influence.

If you’re passionate about history, social justice, public storytelling, or community building, here are powerful and tangible ways to support the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire—all without opening your wallet.

1. Volunteer at Major Events: Bring Community History to Life

The Trail hosts some of the most visible and energizing cultural events in the region—gatherings that blend art, education, history, and joy to celebrate Black culture. Volunteers are essential to making these events successful, welcoming, and smooth.

Juneteenth Celebration

Each June, our multi-day Juneteenth events draw people from across the Granite State and beyond. Whether you’re helping set up tables, directing participants, managing art activities, or assisting speakers and performers, you’re contributing to an experience that deepens understanding of freedom and resilience.

Volunteering on Juneteenth isn’t just a task; it’s a chance to immerse yourself in a living legacy of liberation and remembrance.

Elinor Williams Hooker Tea Talks

The Tea Talks are our annual winter/spring lecture series, held on Sunday afternoons in February for Black History Month. They spark deep dialogue about race, history, culture, and community. Volunteers help greet participants, manage seating, support technology needs, and assist with the behind-the-scenes coordination that makes each session run smoothly.

If you’re curious about the intersections of historical research, activism, and public conversation, volunteering at Tea Talks is a perfect entry point. It gives you a front-row seat to some of the most important discussions happening in our region today.

2. Become a Sankofa Scholar Tour Guide: Share Stories That Matter

One of the most inspiring ways young people can support the Trail is by becoming a Sankofa scholar tour guide. Our Sankofa guided tours explore historic sites across the state, illuminating African American history that is often overlooked or under-taught.

Why Young Tour Guides Matter

Young guides bring fresh perspective, bold curiosity, and connections to the classroom—because many Sankofa tours are created for students, families, and youth groups. When a young person leads a tour, the experience becomes more relatable, dynamic, and accessible.

What You’ll Gain

Being a Sankofa guide isn’t just volunteering—it is:

• Public speaking training
  
  
• Deep exposure to historical research
  
  
• A résumé-boosting leadership experience
  
  
• Practice in storytelling, education, and civic engagement
  
  

Some past guides go on to careers in education, museum work, history, public policy, and community leadership. Others simply carry forward a lifelong commitment to amplifying Black stories.

How to Get Involved

Training is provided, and no prior experience is needed—just a love of learning and a willingness to engage an audience. If you’re interested in mentoring younger students or learning how history shapes the present, this is a powerful opportunity.

In addition to becoming a volunteer tour guide, you could take the extra step and become one of our Sankofa Scholars. Trained to illustrate the Black history of New Hampshire with nuance and accuracy, our Sankofa Scholars uncover new histories as-of-yet untold and design their own route and tour curriculum based on their research.

3. Help Behind the Scenes: Our Work Happens Everywhere

Much of the Trail’s impact happens off-stage—behind the events, inside our office, and throughout our digital platforms. You don’t have to be on the front lines to make a difference.

Support Office and Administrative Work

From assembling materials for school programs to preparing outreach packets to organizing archival documents, administrative volunteers play a crucial role in ensuring our programs reach communities across the state.

These tasks build the foundation for everything the public sees.

Assist with Research Projects

If you’re a student or young professional with an interest in history, you can support the Trail’s research initiatives. This might include:

• Helping gather resources on local Black history
  
  
• Transcribing archival documents
  
  
• Assisting with digital cataloging
  
  
• Supporting exhibit planning
  
  

You’ll learn valuable skills in historical inquiry, project development, and preservation.

Join the Marketing and Communications Support Team

Young people are experts at digital communication—social media, photography, video editing, graphic design, and digital storytelling. Those skills are invaluable to a nonprofit seeking to reach broader audiences.

You can:

• Film or photograph events
  
  
• Help draft social media posts
  
  
• Create short educational videos
  
  
• Assist with newsletter content
  
  
• Support online promotions for programs
  
  

Your creativity helps amplify voices, events, and historical insights that might otherwise go unnoticed. Get in touch with our Marketing Specialist Jake Webb via email at jake@blackheritagetrailnh.org.

4. Become a Youth Ambassador: Advocate for History in Your Circles

Supporting the Trail doesn’t require formal volunteering. Simply being an informed and enthusiastic advocate in your own networks is a powerful contribution.

Start Conversations

Share something you learned from a tour, exhibit, or Tea Talk. Bring a friend to an event. Use your voice to make history matter.

Spread the Word Online

Young people often shape the cultural landscape of online communities. You can:

• Share BHTNH events on your social feeds
  
  
• Post photos from programs you attend
  
  
• Recommend the Trail as a resource for teachers or classmates
  
  

Your online engagement helps bring greater visibility to the work.

Introduce Teachers and Schools to the Trail

Many students first encounter African American history through school, but your school or college may not yet know about our programs.

You can:

• Suggest a Sankofa Tour to your history teacher
  
  
• Recommend speaker programs to your school administrators
  
  
• Connect your student organizations with BHTNH events
  
  

One email can open an educational door for hundreds of students. Reach out to Program Assistant Dariya Steele at dariya@blackheritagetrailnh.org today.

5. Join or Organize a Community Group Visit

If you’re involved with campus groups, sports teams, community organizations, sororities/fraternities, or service clubs, you can bring an entire group to one of our programs.

Group participation helps:

• Increase awareness
  
  
• Strengthen community dialogue
  
  
• Expand the reach of local Black history
  
  

You can work with us to arrange:

• Walking tours
  
  
• Museum visits
  
  
• Youth-friendly programs
  
  
• Service volunteer days
  
  
• Educational sessions with speakers
  
  

Bringing others along is a meaningful form of leadership.

6. Participate in Youth-Focused Programs and Learning Opportunities

Part of supporting the Trail is supporting your own education. Young people who attend programs, join workshops, and engage with our material become part of the knowledge network that sustains the organization.

Attend Community Conversations

Whether in person or online, your participation helps create a richer mix of perspectives.

Join Workshops or Creative Programs

Many programs incorporate poetry, art, storytelling, and interactive elements. Young participants add vibrancy and exciting new ideas.

Use Trail Resources for School Projects

From research papers to senior capstones to digital exhibits, students often use the Trail as a foundation for academic work. This helps circulate Black history into classrooms statewide.

7. Offer Your Skills: Every Talent Has a Place Here

You might be surprised by how many skills are needed in a nonprofit—and there’s a good chance you already have something uniquely useful to offer.

For example:

• Graphic designers can help with social media and event branding
  
  
• Musicians can support events
  
  
• Writers can assist with blog contributions or educational materials
  
  
• Translators can help make materials more accessible
  
  
• Students can help research new stories
  
  
• Aspiring archivists can assist with cataloging our resources
  
  

Your skills don’t need to be “professional level”—just sincere and consistent.

8. Support the Trail by Showing Up

You don’t have to volunteer at every event or join a committee to support the Trail. Showing up matters.

When you attend programs:

• You foster a welcoming community
  
  
• You demonstrate that young people value Black history
  
  
• You contribute to meaningful conversations
  
  
• You help bring energy and momentum to our mission
  
  

History lives on when people choose to gather around it.

9. Connect Us with Community Partners

Many young people are part of networks that the Trail has not yet reached.

You can help by connecting us with:

• Student organizations
  
  
• Cultural groups
  
  
• Local businesses
  
  
• Professional affinity groups
  
  
• Youth leadership programs
  
  
• Campus and community media
  
  

These connections can lead to new collaborations, tours, events, and outreach opportunities.

You don’t need a title to be a connector—just initiative.

10. Bring Your Ideas: Young People Shape the Future of the Trail

One of the most powerful ways to support a nonprofit is to share your ideas for improvement. Young people often see possibilities that others overlook.

We welcome ideas like:

• New program themes
  
  
• Youth-focused workshops
  
  
• Creative approaches to digital storytelling
  
  
• Artistic collaborations
  
  
• Community outreach strategies
  
  
• New tour formats
  
  
• Opportunities for engagement on campuses
  
  

If you see a gap, a need, or an opportunity—tell us. You are part of the future of this organization, and your imagination matters.

Why Your Support Truly Matters

New Hampshire’s Black history is deep, complex, and often underrecognized. The Trail works to correct that imbalance—through education, dialogue, public art, exhibits, tours, and community events.

Young people bring:

• Fresh insight
  
  
• Diverse lived experiences
  
  
• Technological fluency
  
  
• Creative approaches
  
  
• New community connections
  
  
• Passion for justice
  
  

Supporting the Trail without donating is not a lesser contribution—it is the heartbeat of community-driven work. It ensures that our history is not just preserved, but actively carried forward.

The Trail’s mission thrives because people choose to show up, to listen, to learn, and to lead.

Ready to Get Involved?

Whether you want to volunteer at a major event, become a Sankofa scholar tour guide, share your digital talents, or simply bring friends to a program, we welcome your energy and curiosity.

Supporting the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire without donating is not only possible—it is essential. Every hour, every idea, and every conversation helps strengthen our community and keep Black history alive in the Granite State.

You have a role to play. And we can’t wait to see what you bring to the Trail.