Learn About Us
Our Equity Framework
A Commitment To Racial Equity
Our pledge is to be an anti-racist organization that promotes a culture of equity and inclusion both within our organization and across the communities we serve.
We recognize structural racism and other forms of oppression existed in the past and persist today, working to marginalize entire populations of people. Our United Way is committed to embracing diversity, advocating for opportunity and advancement for all people, especially those whose voices have traditionally been marginalized. We are dedicating ourselves to taking action to dismantle the policies and practices ingrained in our society that result in this racial and economic injustice.
Our work toward living up to this mission is anchored in the development of the ALICE measurements, which reveal that financial hardship affects individuals of all ages, genders, and races in every community across our country. Through this data‐driven lens we champion policies and programs that seek to remove the barriers and inequitable systems keeping ALICE families and those in poverty from achieving financial stability.
United Way of Northern New Jersey’s staff and Board of Trustees believe that a core tenet of living united means welcoming to our table all individuals regardless of age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religious belief, socioeconomic status, and ability. We recognize the importance of taking an intersectional approach to our outreach and research and will listen to and learn from individuals who hold marginalized identities in our community.
United Way doesn’t have all the answers and cannot do this work alone. We invite volunteers, partners, donors, and community members to join us on this journey of self‐reflection, education, and strategic action. It’s only by working together that we can break from the status quo and dispel the myths and stereotypes that have distorted the understanding of who struggles in this country and why. To advance this mission, our United Way has adopted the CEO Action For Diversity & Inclusion Pledge and is taking action to:
-
Adopt new recruitment practices that prioritize attracting staff and volunteers with diverse experiences and viewpoints
-
Engage partners and vendors that likewise embrace a culture of inclusivity
-
Provide ongoing racial bias education and anti-racism training for staff and the Board of Trustees
-
Create equity benchmarks that hold us accountable and track our organization’s progress toward achieving equitable change
-
Report on our racial equity work and progress as part of annual reporting
We welcome all community members to join us in advancing a shared vision for a society that ensures opportunity and equity for all. Please email us to get involved and share your ideas and feedback. In addition, please read our Diversity and Inclusion statement here.