Thank you Haggen Shoppers – You’re Making a More Inclusive Community
Last summer, Haggen conducted their Inspiring Change Campaign, in which customers can round up their grocery purchase price and donate the excess to a local organization that is working to make life more inclusive for everyone.
Chinook’s mission is to support full participation in community life for people with disabilities and other barriers. Our work is all about employment, community involvement, and inclusivity, which is why Haggen chose us as the organization they would support from the Inspiring Change Campaign.
What that means is, if you shopped at Haggen during the summer, you helped make our community stronger and more inclusive. Thank you!
It was delightful that Joan, one of our customers who has been successfully employed at Haggen for over 16 years, had the honor of presenting us with the financial gift from the campaign. We reflected on this moment as it took a full circle of events to get us here, where Chinook is poised and ready to help more jobseekers like Joan find their perfect career. And by the way, next time you’re at Haggen, if you can’t find an item, ask Joan – she’ll know exactly where to look!
As a result of this gift, Chinook Enterprises was able to conduct what we call Shutdown Day, where we provide a fantastic training opportunity for our staff and board.
In keeping with the theme of the campaign, on October 6th we gathered at the Northwest Career and Technical Academy (NCTA), which is right next door to us, and learned various ways to further our mission of inclusivity in employment.
We heard presentations and received tools and strategies from three different organizations.
First, the Arc of Spokane shared several ways we can expand our advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities. Then, we heard from Underground Ministries, and learned ways we can partner with them and support outreach to people who are looking to re-enter the community after coming out of prison. Finally, PFLAG Skagit shared how we can become better allies with our LGBTQ+ customers, peers, and neighbors.
Recently, Lakrisha Spencer, one of our Employment Specialists, said this about the workplace culture of inclusivity we have worked hard to create at Chinook:
“What makes Chinook an amazing employer is their willingness to be fair and inclusive amongst many other terrific things. I have never worked at a company that is so diverse in the best way and willing to meet each individual where they are.”
We ended the day with a fantastic lunch cooked up by the NCTA students and left feeling equipped with tools aimed at expanding our inclusive efforts in Skagit County & Beyond.
Thank you again, Haggen Helps, for this incredible gift of training.
