Care Initiatives Pledges $5000 To Native American Child Care Center
On November 16, 2021, Care Initiatives pledged $5,000 to the Native American Child Care Center in honor of Native American Heritage Month. This donation was made to support the mission of the NACCC to provide child-care services and an early childhood education and development program primarily for, but not limited to pre-school children who identify with the Native American heritage.
In making its pledge, Care Initiatives Chief Executive Officer, Mike Beal stated that the donation is part of Care Initiatives’ continued commitment to extend its diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) efforts beyond the four walls of the company and into the communities that Care Initiatives serves. “The NACCC is very deserving. We are pleased to support the work they do to help support families and their children to foster the physical, emotional, social, cultural and intellectual development. We hope that this contribution to NACCC is the beginning of a long partnership between our organizations.”
Care Initiatives is in early stages of implementing its DEI efforts. For example, the company is assembling its inaugural Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council (“DEI Council”). The DEI Council will represent a cross-section of the company’s workforce and be responsible for helping revise and create policies to make work environments more diverse, equitable, and inclusive, generate ideas to ensure that Care Initiatives is being inclusive of residents, patients, and tenants of all backgrounds, and will work closely with Care Initiatives’ Senior Management to integrate DEI into Care Initiatives’ mission and core values. “The DEI Council’s perspectives and suggestions will ensure that we are intentionally building an inclusive and equity-driven organizational culture,” said Abhay Nadipuram, Vice President and General Counsel for Care Initiatives and executive sponsor for Care Initiatives’ DEI initiatives. As a part of its DEI initiatives, Care Initiatives has pledged to donate $120,000 annually to organizations that serve a diverse cross-section of Iowa communities.
In a statement on behalf of NACCC, Executive Director Roxie Murren thanked Care Initiatives for its contribution. "This was such a surprise that someone would notice our daycare and want to donate to us. We serve a population of 75% Native children and help several low-income families. We want to thank Care Initiatives for the donation which will help us to continue the mission we have been serving since 1980."
Care Initiatives is Iowa’s largest not-for-profit skilled nursing care and senior care provider. Care Initiatives and Care Initiatives Hospice operate 58 skilled nursing, rehabilitation, Alzheimer’s/dementia, assisted living and hospice locations throughout Iowa.