Vet to Vet Maine Policy: Equal Opportunity Organization
Vet to Vet Maine is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect, where equal opportunities are available for all the veterans we serve, volunteers, staff, and employees without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, mental or physical disabilities, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law. Vet to Vet Maine believes that diversity and inclusion among our team are critical to our success and we seek to recruit and retain the most talented people from a diverse volunteer pool to serve a diverse pool of veterans.
Points of Emphasis
Racial Justice
Vet to Vet Maine has unwavering solidarity with people of color for speaking out in peaceful protests against systemic racism, acts of police violence, and other acts of violence. Vet to Vet Maine unequivocally opposes racism and discrimination and all acts of racial violence and fully supports inclusiveness and diversity. Social injustice and the violation of human rights against people of color have been problems in the United States for far too long.
We believe that all people are created equal and that everyone has the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Racism is the repulsive ideology that unveils the hypocrisy between those ideals and reality. Racism coupled with unconscious bias has created the disparate systems that result in negative outcomes among our underrepresented communities.
Racism has no place in the Vet to Vet Maine Community. We stand with the many peaceful protesters who are exercising their constitutional rights to call for an end to acts of racism, prejudice, bias, and social injustice.
Toward that goal, Vet to Vet Maine incorporates the following actions as organizational policy.
Vet to Vet Maine will not tolerate acts of racism. We will review our procedures and incorporate our support for diversity in our volunteer training, matching, case reviews, and all procedures in our organization. We will investigate all reports of racism by anyone in our organization and take appropriate action.
Vet to Vet Maine will seek out veterans of color as both volunteers and veteran friends by collaborating with local nonprofit organizations whose missions are centered on advocacy for Maine’s minority population.