Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

United Way of North Central Ohio fights to ensure that every person in every community has equitable opportunity to lead happy, healthy, self-sufficient lives. Our efforts are inseparable from the fight for racial equity. We must raise our voices, educate ourselves, and commit to doing what is necessary to dismantle systemic racism.

We take the broadest possible view of diversity.

We value the visible and invisible qualities that make you who you are.

We welcome the unique perspective and experience that every person brings to advance our mission and progress our fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community.

We believe that each United Way community member, donor, volunteer, advocate, and employee must have equal access to solving community problems.

We strive to include diversity, equity, and inclusion practices at the center of our daily work.

We commit to using these practices for our business and our communities.

Join us in embracing diversity, equity and inclusion for every person in every community.

United Way of North Central Ohio works to create lasting change for those most in need through strategic community philanthropy and collective impact.

We recognize that our fight must include improving the lives of historically and systemically excluded or marginalized people, and that we must understand and incorporate racial equity in all that we do.

We recognize that the social construct of race is the root cause of the systemic inequalities that oppress people of color.

We recognize structural racism/ethnic discrimination and other forms of oppression have contributed to persistent disparities which United Way seeks to dismantle.

We understand that these disparities have existed in the past and persist into the present.

We acknowledge that these inequities are the result of policies and practices that work to marginalize entire populations of people.

We unequivocally denounce racism/ethnic discrimination because it undermines the well-being and vitality of our communities.

Our United Way network strives to engage community members, especially those whose voices have traditionally been marginalized.

We work with residents and public and private partners to co-create solutions that ensure everyone has the resources, supports, opportunities and networks they need to thrive.

We commit to leveraging all of our assets (convening, strategic investments, awareness building, advocacy) to create more equitable communities.

Note: Our Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion pledge is adopted from United Way’s Equity Vision in United Way’s Equity Framework: Strengthening Our Equity Muscle to Accelerate Impact, developed in collaboration with local United Ways.