Sights for Hope’s official Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policies were ratified by our Board of Directors on May 25, 2022.
Definitions
- Sights for Hope defines diversity as the appreciated presence of differences within its constituencies related to, but not necessarily limited to, race, gender identification, cultural background, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, language, physical capabilities not related to sight, age, marital status, military or veteran status, and political perspectives.
- Sights for Hope defines equity as the promotion of justice, impartiality, and fairness within its policies and procedures.
- Sights for Hope defines inclusion as its desired outcome of a culture in which people of all backgrounds feel valued, understood, appreciated, cared for, and empowered.
Policy Declarations
The human eye has the potential to see all colors in the spectrum of light – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. As the only private organization dedicated to empowering people with visual impairments in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh, Northampton, and Monroe counties to seize their independence, Sights for Hope respects the beauty and strength of humanity’s rich and colorful tapestry.
Therefore, Sights for Hope shall not subject individuals to discrimination, nor deny safely-deliverable services of the highest possible quality, on the basis of race, gender identification, cultural background, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status, language, physical capabilities not related to sight, age, marital status, military or veteran status, political perspectives, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Sights for Hope condemns and does not tolerate racism or intolerance in any form.
As part of its application of these policies, Sights for Hope shall provide language access services to populations of persons with or without full English proficiency; make all responsible efforts to secure financial assistance from private contributors, grantors, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BBVS), and/or other pertinent sources with respect to costs of its services; and make all responsible efforts to build and maintain a professional staff and Board of Directors that reflect its practices of diversity and equity to advance inclusion.
These policies reflect a core Sights for Hope principle that a visual impairment should never be a barrier to achievement, independence, dignity, and hope for anyone.
Alignment of Policies
Upon their adoption by Sights for Hope’s Board of Directors, these policies shall supersede all previous policies set by the organization. Moreover, all existing organizational policies shall be amended to achieve alignment with these policies.
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Contact for Information
Dennis Zehner, 610.433.6018, Ext. 241