Back in 2017, the Steelcase Foundation Annual Report entitled, Remove Obstacles, Foster Justice took a deep dive into the Foundation’s efforts to address longstanding systemic inequities in our communities. While the words are a few years old, the report’s opening statement from Steelcase Foundation Board Chair Kate Pew Wolters and President Julie Ridenour expounded on the Foundation’s commitment to social justice cause.
There are metaphors familiar in social justice circles that use images of people striving to climb over hurdles, see over a fence, or reach for an apple on a tree to illustrate how equality (or sameness) doesn’t necessarily produce equity (or fairness). Increasingly, a further image is included to illustrate what happens when we remove the hurdle entirely, rather than helping people scale it better.
It’s a great reminder that while we need to foster the conditions that ensure all people have fair access to success, lasting change comes when we focus on removing barriers completely—addressing the root causes of inequity.
With those words in mind, the Steelcase Foundation has added another matching opportunity for interested employees and retirees to give to the following social justice organizations.
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
- Center for Constitutional Rights
- Equal Justice Initiative
- NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
- National Urban League
- Southern Poverty Law Center
These organizations are long-time advocates for equity and social justice and do work across a broad geographic footprint. The program is a pilot and will operate like the crisis match, allowing an additional $10,000 of giving eligibility each calendar year. We will use this program to gauge interest in giving to social justice causes, so eligible organizations could change depending on feedback and giving trends.
We hope everyone takes advance of the opportunity to amplify their giving to benefit social justice causes so we can work together to change the conditions have created the inequities in our communities. It’s an actionable step for each one of us to make a change for a better future.
Click here to request a match.
