As our community faces this moment between the Covid-19 pandemic and the dismantling of systemic racial injustice in our country, Jeremiah’s Place stands on the side of justice and peace. So much pain and anguish fills our hearts and now, more than ever, we must all come together to heal and to change the narrative around what it means to have a just and fair society. The vast majority of the children and families we serve every day are black or biracial and are experiencing the full effects of both the pandemic and racial injustices. Jeremiah’s Place stands with the Black Lives Matter movement and commits to supporting and cherishing the children and families in our community.
We want our children to live in a world that is filled with love and compassion. We want every child to know what it feels like to be valued, affirmed, and free from fear and prejudice.
Over the past six years, Jeremiah’s Place has worked to care for the most vulnerable among us during times of crisis and our families rely on having a safe haven for their children when they are navigating difficult and challenging life moments. Now is such a time. We remain committed to our mission to protect children, strengthen families, and to help transform the communities in which they live.
Jeremiah’s Place is honored to serve diverse groups of children and families from all races, ethnicities, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds. We pride ourselves on creating a space where children can learn the foundations of community, kindness, friendship, and love. So what can we do to support our little ones? How can we talk with our children about all of the unrest and chaos that is swirling around them? Collectively, we must come together to cultivate a world in which they so deserve to live.
There is no place in our organization and in our communities for racism, implicit bias, and a blatant disrespect for human life. We stand firmly planted in the belief that unless we begin to see the humanity, the beauty, and the value of everyone, we as a society will never be its true self. We want justice for those that have been senselessly killed and denied their basic rights as citizens simply because of the color of their skin.
Most recently we have watched George Floyd killed right before our very eyes and learned about Breonna Taylor being shot in her own home while sleeping. There are countless other stories just like these that have brought us to tears. But now, we can’t just watch. We can’t just weep for the lives that have been lost. We must be agents of change - change in our ourselves, change in our organizations/businesses, change in our schools, change in legislation, change in leadership, and change in our communities. We must demand that those who have been denied their basic rights as citizens without any accountability be lifted up, supported, celebrated, and vindicated.
Jeremiah’s Place remains committed to showing up for the children in our care.
- We pledge to continue providing professional development that helps our staff and board members deepen their understanding of implicit and explicit bias.
- We pledge to continue forward with our strategic plan that identifies the need to further diversify our board composition.
- We pledge to maintain a diverse and multiethnic staff. 76% of the children that use Jeremiah’s Place are black or biracial, and we will make every effort to hire staff who reflect those we serve.
- We pledge to maintain an administrative team that is racially diverse.
- We pledge commitment to hire vendors from minority and women-owned businesses.
- We pledge to continue to provide a nonjudgmental space for children and families during critical moments in their lives.