Grace Care Center Values: Dignity
Grace Care Center operates smoothly on a shared understanding of who we are and who we are committed to becoming.
Through creating our new strategic plan, we’ve named a set of five values that shape how we show up in our community. Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing more about each one.
Our next featured value is something we strive to ensure everyone experiences here at Grace Care Center: Dignity. Everyone deserves to be treated with honor and respect – here’s how we carry this value out every day.
Why Dignity Matters
Everyone needs help from time to time, especially during difficult seasons.
But feeling embarrassed or looked down upon can be a barrier to someone seeking assistance, even when experiencing a crisis. This is part of what feeds the cycle of poverty – limited access to resources makes it difficult for individuals and families to break free and make lasting change.
When someone feels they are still respected and valued when they reach out for help, they are more likely to do so.
Creating a Welcoming & Safe Environment
At Grace Care Center, we want our Care Center Friends to feel safe and welcome as soon as they walk through our doors. We focus on creating a positive environment where everyone matters, regardless of their current situation or needs.
This starts with our volunteers. Many Care Center Volunteers make regular appearances week after week, some for several years. They understand the importance of not just providing food and resources, but offering a community of support where our Friends want to return.
When asked about how the Care Center has impacted them, many Friends share that it is this community that makes the biggest difference.
“I’m so grateful for all the support I received,” says Care Center Friend and recent Co-op graduate Tanya.
Care Center Friend Miranda says, “When I first came here, it was just one of those things where the place felt safe.”
Dignity in Choice
Even beyond building this welcoming community, we believe that choice is dignity in action. That’s why every part of a Care Center Friend’s journey here is left up to them – from food selection to support services.
When a Friend or family comes to the Care Center for the first time, they meet with a volunteer who tells them about our unique model and services. We make sure they feel valued, heard, and seen by honoring their ability to make decisions that fit their needs and preferences.
“It felt like you were ready for me,” Barrie says. “You were there to meet me where I was at and help me get what I needed in the moment.”
This choice is most tangible in the Choice Food Pantry, where we protect every guest’s dignity by providing them with points to use in a grocery store-style setting. They can use these points to select nutritious fruits and vegetables, various shelf-stable foods, fresh meat and dairy products, delicious cultural and seasonal treats, and even various household goods like cleaning supplies, diapers, and personal items.
Instead of handing every Friend the same items and sending them on their way, each is given the time and space to select what is right for them.
The dignity of choice carries through the rest of our services and programs as well. We empower Friends to choose the tools and resources that will help them build independence and stability at their own pace.
Read More About Our Values
If you want to learn more about Grace Care Center and the Grace Care Center Foundation, we encourage you to read about our four additional values:
Empower (coming soon)
Lasting Change (coming soon)
