The DEIJ Council
Committed to modeling diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, maintaining fair and equal treatment for all.

DEIJ Council

Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan is committed to a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment where all team members, volunteers, guests, leaders, and board members feel respected and valued regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, education, or any other identity.

  • We are committed to being nondiscriminatory and providing equal opportunities for employment, volunteering, and advancement in all areas of our work.
  • We respect the value that diverse life experiences bring to our team.
  • We are committed to modeling diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, maintaining fair and equal treatment for all.

With these goals in mind, the Gleaners Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) Council was formed in 2022 to serve as an internal entity for advancing the goal of achieving a diverse, inclusive, engaged, and productive team. Gleaners' internal focus on DEIJ and the creation of the Council directly align with our efforts to understand issues related to equity in how we serve communities:

  • How do systems make success easier for some people than for others?
  • How can we best address the implicit bias in systems to ensure that all people who need help get the right amount of help?
  • Below are examples of key accomplishments facilitated by the DEIJ Council.

Cultural Celebrations

Each year, the Council presents organization-wide educational opportunities and cultural celebrations in an effort to raise awareness of the diversity within the Gleaners team and the communities we serve.

Floating Holidays

Advocated for the creation of two floating holidays for all full-time Gleaners team members to support the celebration of cultural and religious observances meaningful to them that might not otherwise be covered by the Holiday Observances schedule.

Internal Communications

Expanded our internal communication network to keep the entire organization connected to various cultural observances, celebrations and important DEIJ related topics on an ongoing basis.

Safe Space Drop Box

Created the Safe Space Drop Box where team members can submit their feedback in physical or digital notes to support the organization's values toward equitable and fair treatment.