Non-Discrimination Policy

Adopted by the Board of Directors on May 24, 2018

We Care (Corvallis-Benton County Council of Religious Organizations, Inc.) does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, national or cultural background, citizenship status, educational background, disability, marital status, or military status, in its activities or operations.

This applies to the receipt and initial review of applications for We Care assistance, interactions with the applicants it has in-person or on the phone, and the decisions it makes about applications. We Care recognizes that discrimination can occur explicitly and implicitly, and takes the following steps to counter all forms of discrimination:

1) We Care intake volunteers receiving applications and having direct contact with the applicants, and members of the We Care Board must review this Non-discrimination policy during their orientations and document by signature their commitment to follow this policy.

2) We Care intake volunteers will be instructed that it is part of their responsibilities to promote supportive, welcoming, inclusive, and compassionate interactions with all they serve. These include the applicants for We Care assistance, the applicants’ families, and those speaking on their behalf. All are to be treated with respect and understanding.

3) We Care intake volunteers and Board Members will be encouraged to increase their awareness of implicit biases they carry, and to minimize the impact those biases may have on the mission of We Care. Reading a document that provides a basic understanding of the nature of implicit bias will be part of the orientation for We Care staff. Participation in anti-implicit bias training will be encouraged when it is available.

4) We Care board members making decisions about assistance requests will not have direct contact with the applicants, nor know their identities. The board will only have access to information pertinent to determination of the eligibility, severity, impact, and urgency of the applicant’s need for assistance, and will make their decisions based on this information.

Upon the date of adoption by the board this policy replaces any previous We Care non- discrimination policy.