At Friends of Karen, we are committed to fostering a tangible, sustainable and measurable culture of belonging, where every child and every family matters. This is integral to our mission.  We strive to ensure those we serve, and our colleagues feel supported, seen, heard, respected, and empowered.  Our goal is to foster a dynamic, welcoming culture that embraces everyone.

We believe that our work is enriched by a diversity of perspectives.  Friends of Karen respects the many cultures, languages and traditions represented in our community of families, staff members and friends.  We promise to demonstrate our accountability for this commitment through word and action. We call on our supporters and community to help us combat social injustice, hate, and bias.

We provide equal opportunities for people of all races, ethnicities, religions, gender identities, ability levels, socioeconomic backgrounds, countries of origin, and all other backgrounds and identities in our staff and governance. At Friends of Karen, we will lead by example and provide our services fairly and equitably and seek to foster a culture of belonging from within, ensuring it is a core component of our vision and values. The families whom we serve vastly represent many backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.  We believe that welcoming families from all walks of life and having a team that reflects this multiplicity of perspectives will strengthen our organization and enable us to better serve our community.

We are committed to focusing on equity in access to healthcare, an area that is central to Friends of Karen’s mission. We affirm that every child and family we serve should be treated with kindness, respect, understanding and compassion, regardless of any other characteristic. We recognize that hate and bias can cause significant harm and suffering to those targeted, and that they have no place in our organization or in our society as a whole. 

In this same spirit, we will continue to work to ensure that in our workplace each team member is supported, valued and empowered to grow. Creating a culture of belonging is a core component of our organizational strategy and is reflected in our values at all levels of our organization.

We pledge to lead by example, serving our community respectfully, inclusively and fairly.  We are committed to creating a safe, welcoming, discrimination-free environment for all.