Advancing DEIB: Honoring Our Progress & Strengthening Our Commitment

At the 4th Annual NYC Imagine Awards, Fiver Children’s Foundation was honored to receive the DEIA Award, presented by JPMorgan Chase, in recognition of our dedication to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment for both youth and staff. This achievement is a testament to the ongoing work embedded in our culture and strategy to ensure that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) remain at the forefront of everything we do.

Our commitment to DEIA is not only about creating a supportive and inclusive environment but also about advancing representation, accessibility, and cultural responsiveness. These efforts benefit our program participants, 150+ engaged alumni, and the broader community. As part of this recognition, we were also awarded an additional $1,000 prize from Webster Bank, which we will celebrate at the awards dinner in late October.

Building on Success: The Next Chapter

This award reflects the work we've accomplished, but it also serves as a call to action to continue evolving. As we look to the future, Fiver’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan emphasizes an increased focus on supporting the very people who make our mission possible—our employees. Some of these individuals are Fivers themselves, a living testament to the impact of our programs.

Our strategic priorities include:

Empowering Youth for Success:

1. Enhanced Mental Health Support:
   We are creating a comprehensive framework to provide tailored support and referrals for youth facing intensified mental health challenges. This initiative responds directly to the needs expressed by Fiver youth and parents seeking additional mental health resources.

2. Aligning with Evolving Opportunities:
   To ensure every young person can define success on their own terms, we’re aligning our language and program offerings with Fiver’s updated definition of post-high school success. This reflects the changing landscape of opportunities and choices available to Fiver youth.

3. Expanding Alumni Engagement:
   By systematically increasing alumni involvement, we aim to further grow Fiver’s impact. Our alumni remain critical to extending Fiver’s mission, providing mentorship, and demonstrating the long-term value of our programs.
   
   

Strengthening Our Organization:

1. Supporting Employee Growth and Retention:

• We’re committed to fostering the development, progression, and careers of our employees through an enhanced portfolio of talent management processes and improved benefits. By empowering our team like we empower our youth, we aim to retain outstanding employees who can best serve Fiver participants.

2. Enhancing the Workplace Experience:

• We’re optimizing workspaces, tools, and ways of working—whether physical or remote—to improve collaboration and maximize organizational efficiency, which directly benefits the outcomes of our programs.

3. Delivering on DEIB Goals:

• Fiver is advancing equitable outcomes across programs and services by meeting our three-year DEIB goals. This ensures that our organization’s values align with our actions and mission.

4. Building a Future-Ready Organization:

• Through strategic alignment of roles and resources, we’re ensuring a resilient, adaptable structure for the long-term success of our mission.

A Shared Commitment

This moment represents a milestone in our journey, but it also reminds us of the work ahead. As we reflect on how far we’ve come, we invite our supporters to join us in building a future where inclusion, equity, and opportunity are central to all that we do. Together, we will continue to cultivate an environment where every youth, staff member, and community participant feels empowered to thrive.

To learn more about Fiver’s DEIA efforts, please explore our initiatives here, and for more information about the NYC Imagine Awards, click here to learn more.