In the wake of the recent senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, and many others, we are left with a range of emotions, from grief to outrage. As an organization that works to provide opportunities of equitable access to the tools needed for a successful education, we have a zero-tolerance policy toward discrimination of any kind in our organization and with our partners.
Catie’s Closet understands first-hand how compassion, understanding and inclusion are critical in ensuring the children we serve feel valued in their environment. Our mission is focused on providing support for those that struggle with the heavy burdens of poverty.
We hear the pained and fearful voices of students who feel left out, ostracized or undervalued. With your support and the collaboration of committed and compassionate voices for change from our school partners, sister nonprofits and supportive foundations we will continue to strive to reduce social disparities. We will work to create bridges of transformational means that lead to equality, and ultimately to overcome social and economic systemic barriers.
We are troubled by the thought that many of our students and families continue to experience the issues that sparked rioting in Detroit over fifty years ago. We continue to be heartbroken. But today we focus our actions toward hope. We believe that if we stand together in the pursuit of justice, impartiality, and equal opportunity then we can create an environment free from discrimination and help others do the same. As one of our principals from an elementary school in MA stated:
“When I observe our children’s interaction with each other at our school, and the compassion and natural acceptance they show each other, irrespective of their races, ethnicity, or where they live, I see a ray of light out of this dark valley.”
Our commitment is more steadfast than ever. Our conviction comes from knowing we stand together with our community steeped in compassion, understanding and motivated to take action. We can make a difference.
Together, we can come out stronger.
