Equity is the foundation of our work, from our engagement with donors, to our investment of community resources, to our interactions with the public. We define equity as the presence of justice and fairness within the procedures, processes, and distribution of resources by institutions or systems. We commit to leveraging all of our assets (convening, strategic investments, awareness building, and advocacy) to create communities that are more equitable.

We unequivocally denounce racism/ethnic discrimination because it undermines the well-being and vitality of our communities. The United Way of Suwannee Valley recognizes that structural racism/ethnic discrimination and other forms of oppression have contributed to persistent disparities that we seek to dismantle.

We commit to equity as a core value and practice to advance our mission of connecting people, resources, and organizations to create a thriving community for everyone. Our mission compels us to prioritize historically marginalized and systematically excluded people. We understand that these disparities have existed in the past and persist into the present.

It is necessary to focus on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, as well as other intersectional identities, to end the historical, social, and systemic inequities that persist in our community. The inequities that exist are the result of policies and practices that work to marginalize entire populations of people.

We acknowledge that we can only be successful if we recognize, raise up, and support leaders from underrepresented neighborhoods, especially those whose voices have traditionally been marginalized. United Way is committed to engaging these leaders as partners, donors, and volunteers to co-create solutions that ensure everyone has the resources, supports, opportunities, and networks they need to thrive. Further, we commit to intentionally creating pathways for them to be included in decision-making and leadership roles within our own and other organizations.

We can only eliminate inequity when all individuals reach their fullest human potential. We maintain that building and sustaining equity in our community requires an ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion that is fully expressed in our organizational culture, values, norms, and behaviors and those of our partners.

We believe our continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of diverse, qualified employees and volunteers. We provide equal employment and volunteer service opportunities for all qualified employees, applicants, and volunteers without regard for age, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or physical or mental ability. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve, and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.