Care Initiatives Pledges $5000 To Freedom Foundation
On November 11, 2021, Care Initiatives pledged $5,000 to the Freedom Foundation in Cedar Rapids to honor Veterans Day. This donation was made to support the mission of Freedom Foundation to serve veterans who are navigating challenges of everyday life after serving our country.
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 Freedom Foundation is very deserving. The work they do to help support local veterans is impressive. Care Initiatives prides itself on employing and serving veterans throughout our company, and we hope that this contribution to Freedom Foundation 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. "Ensuring that our employees who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces have a voice in our company will help Care Initiatives broaden its perspective, especially on the recruitment front. We are very thankful to all the veterans and their sacrifices, including the veterans who are part of our work family at Care Initiatives. We always welcome veterans to build their careers at our organization,” added Shereen Bender, Care Initaitives’ VP of Human Resources 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 Freedom Foundation, Executive Director Lexi Coberly thanked Care Initiatives for its contribution. "The Freedom Foundation is excited for the generous donation of $5000 from Care Initiatives. This generous donation will help many local Veterans in need by using it towards our Veterans food pantry and financial assistance for Veterans that may need help covering their rent or utilities. We greatly appreciate this very generous donation to allow us to continue the level of support we have for so many Veterans in need."
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.