Hunger Free Colorado is committed to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) in our internal operations and work with partners and communities. As part of our larger JEDI journey, Hunger Free Colorado has made changes to its holiday schedule to honor the struggle and contributions of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth are now part of the holidays that we observe. And, in addition to our new holidays, we are giving our staff Election Day off and updating our accommodations for non-Christian staff who observe other religious holidays.
“We are excited that our team is on this journey together,” said Lori Casillas, COO at Hunger Free Colorado. “We’re fortunate that these decisions are driven by staff and fully supported by our leadership and board.”
New Holiday Accommodations
If a staff member’s religious holidays do not align with the organizational holiday schedule, they may request a paid day off (or hours) to celebrate during the workday. These hours are not deducted from any other accrued hours, such as PTO.
Indigenous People’s Day
Hunger Free Colorado is observing Indigenous Peoples’ Day to honor the original peoples of the Americas, their self-determination and efforts to preserve their sovereignty, culture and language. We recognize that Hunger Free Colorado is located on land first inhabited by the peoples of Great Sioux Nation, Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne. Learn more about Indigenous People’s Day here and here.
If you are able, please consider donating to these indigenous-led organizations.
- Denver Indian Center
- Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women USA
- NDN Collective
- Native American Rights Fund
“These are important changes that reflect our organizational values. I would encourage other HR and management professionals to consider the impact this type of change would have on their teams and communities.”
-Jackie Maessen, Senior Manager of Operations & Human Resources
at Hunger Free Colorado
Election Day
To support staff members who are working on get-out-the-vote efforts and give them the time and space to vote, Hunger Free Colorado is giving staff November 3 off. This will be a recurring bi-annual comp day on our organizational calendar to align with national and gubernatorial elections. Register to vote, check your voter registration, and more here!
Juneteenth
Juneteenth is a holiday commemorating when enslaved people of Texas, then the most remote region of the confederacy, finally learned slavery had been abolished and that they were free. Hunger Free Colorado is adding Juneteenth to its organizational holidays to recognize the ongoing work across the United States to eradicate racism and elevate the voices of Black people in our society. Learn about Juneteenth here.
In addition to the holidays mentioned above, Hunger Free Colorado will be observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day, replacing our closure on President’s Day. “We join the many organizations and municipalities in recognizing this important national holiday celebrating Dr. King,” Casillas said.
Click here to read Hunger Free Colorado’s stance on racial justice.