Diversity and Inclusion Policy

At Feeding America West Michigan, a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace is one where all employees, board members and volunteers, whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, veteran status or any other protected category under applicable local, state or federal law feels valued and respected. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement in all of our departments, programs, and worksites. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages, and ensure that all voices are valued and heard.

Feeding America West Michigan believes that diversity, inclusion, and equity are connected to our mission and critical to ensure the well-being of our board, staff and the communities we serve. We will lead with respect and open-mindedness. We expect all employees to embrace this notion, and to express it in workplace interactions and through every day work practices.

We envision: A community in which all neighbors are nourished and empowered within an equitable food
system. Together, we work every day to make this vision a reality.

We do this by living out our mission: to provide nourishment and hunger relief resources to our neighbors by amplifying the strength of communities through collaboration and advocacy

Feeding America West Michigan knows that committing to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion is essential to achieving our mission and critical to ensuring the well-being of our board, staff, volunteers and the communities we serve.

Equity is both an outcome and a process. Equity is achieved when demographics like race, gender, geography, and other identity markers do not influence food security. At FAWM, we pursue equity by:

• continuously deepening our understanding of our own systems, how inequities have come to be, and what our role needs to be to actively stand against them.
• looking at the ways decisions are made and how resources are allocated to determine if our processes are helping or hindering us from realizing our intention of a more equitable response to hunger.
• supporting actions that lead to equitable food access and opportunity for all.
• committing to using the best available data to prioritize and develop effective solutions for people and communities who have disproportionately faced persistent food insecurity.

Diversity refers to the many characteristics we all self-identify that help us stand both as individuals and belong in groups. This includes but is not limited to race, ethnicity, ability, gender, gender identity, age, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, cultural identity, national origin, education level, veteran status, and lived experience. We acknowledge that identities are interconnected and overlapping which creates complex systems of discrimination and privilege; categories of identification are not always fixed and are often fluid. We affirm the value of each individual’s complex identity.

Inclusion means we are creating environments in which all individuals are intentionally and proactively welcomed, respected, supported, and valued. It means our board, staff, volunteers, and partners can bring their full, authentic selves to our hunger relief mission. It also means that we are consistently inclusive in how we shape strategy, policy, and practice. It means we value and seek active and broad participation from members of our communities most impacted by hunger, so our desired outcomes are informed by and improved through their deep engagement, diverse perspectives, and desired outcomes.