June 23 CEO Blog
“We are committed to ensuring a vibrant, just, and equitable Lorain County that supports everyone. We will harness the diversity of our resources and intentionally listen, learn, and respond to the needs of the community to advance diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging in our organization and grant making.”
Community Foundation of Lorain County Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Statement
This bold statement above was proudly adopted by our Board of Directors at our Annual Meeting as part of our new Strategic Plan. Thank you to those who joined us at Kendal. You may notice belonging, which I discussed in last month’s blog. The use of this word is intentional. We can be a diverse community that is open to everyone and treats people equitably, but if the people who live here don’t feel like they belong, we have not come far enough. We can build a more thriving and supportive community by prioritizing this in all our activities and relationships.
Summer is here, and so are a lot of fantastic events throughout Lorain County. To honor and celebrate Juneteenth, we gathered at the historic Lorain Palace Theatre for a captivating film, “The Shadow Between Us.” Many thanks to the African American Community Fund and the Lorain County Urban League Young Professionals for collaborating on this immersive cinematic experience and panel discussion. If you haven’t seen this film, I encourage you to check it out.
Also, this past week, our Resident Engagement Initiatives, including IOBY and Neighbor Up Lorain County, celebrated five years of uplifting our community. What makes these initiatives so special is that they are truly community driven. Neighbors helping neighbors, building community, and identifying needs in their own backyards and creating projects to meet those needs. In the past five years, we are proud to have matched over $9K in funding for these important projects, bringing philanthropy to the front doors in our neighborhoods.
Lastly, this very exciting and full month will wrap up with one of my favorite days of the year: our Scholarship Celebration, planned for June 28th. We look forward to welcoming our recipients, celebrating their successes, and helping them launch the next chapter of their journeys.
Be well,
Cindy
