Our Diversity and Inclusion Policy
For all staff, volunteers, representatives and partner agencies, Rice County Area United Way embraces diversity in all aspects of United Way activities and respects others without regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, national origin or ancestry, marital status, familial status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or disability.
Equal Opportunity Employment
United Way is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This means that United Way will extend equal opportunity to all individuals without regard for race, color, creed, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, marital status, familial status, disability, public assistance, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or local human rights commission activity. This policy affirms United Way's commitment to the principles of fair employment and the elimination of all vestiges of discriminatory practices that might exist. United Way encourages all employees to take advantage of opportunities for promotion as they occur.
Northfield Racial & Ethnic Equity Collaborative
Rice County Area United Way has been an active member of the Northfield Racial & Ethnic Equity Collaborative since its founding in 2021. Below is the the Collaborative's official statement.
Northfield, like communities across our state and our nation, is changing in many ways. We are becoming a much more racially and ethnically diverse community. Many institutions and workplaces are making Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) a priority in their planning and in how they do business. It is one thing to say we want to be “welcoming to all,” but the actual systems change and behavioral shifts required to do so are much more complex.
The Northfield Racial & Ethnic Equity Collaborative (NREEC) began in February 2021 as a community-led effort around racial equity and inclusion. It strives to help build our shared cultural competence, understand our biases, and carry out the work of systems change to begin shifting policies, practices, resources, and power structures.
The NREEC membership, as of October 2021, includes the following institutions and organizations: City of Northfield, Northfield Public Schools, Healthy Community Initiative, Carleton College, St. Olaf College, Northfield Hospital + Clinics, Rice County, FiftyNorth, Northfield Area Family YMCA, Community Action Center, Adult Basic Education, Northfield Area Interfaith Association, Northfield Shares, Rice County Neighbors United, Northfield Union of Youth, Three Rivers Community Action, Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism, Rice County Area United Way, Allina Health, and the Minnesota Humanities Center.