What We Believe
Open Sky Community Services is committed to becoming anti-racist, celebrating diversity and creating an environment that provides a safe, inclusive and equitable space for all by fostering growth and healing. We will create, promote and uphold policies, practices, attitudes and actions that create unbiased power and access to opportunities for our community.
What We Do
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Speak Up process to report and investigate incidents
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Flexible time-off
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Monthly CARE Chats on topics that matter to our staff
Our Journey
2020: Launch of CARE Team in response to the murder of George Floyd
2021: Race Equity Assessment and Strategic Planning
2022-2023: Expanded focus of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, implementation of CARE Chats, and new policieis to support staff.
2024: Expanded DEIB Team and programs including seven part-time Diversity Champions, the hiring of a DEIB Manager, the creation of the Diversity Advisory Committee, and the start of Employee Trust Groups.
Awards and Recognition
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2022- African Community Education Partnership of the Year Award
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2023- Association of Developmental Disabilities Providers DEI Award, and Association for Behavioral Healthcare Salute to Excellence Award
The Committee Advancing Racial Equity (CARE) Team developed a symbol and talking points as an expression of Open Sky’s organizational value around anti-racism and equity. The symbol is comprised of words shared at the initial listening sessions when people were asked what they were hoping for.
Land Acknowledgment
Open Sky Community Services would like to acknowledge that our programs and services inhabit on the traditional lands of the Nipmuc People. The word Nipmuc comes from an Algonquin Indian word, Nippenet, which roughly translates to "the freshwater pond place".
We pay respect to the Nipmuc Nation and elders both past and present. We acknowledge the truth of many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement, as well as generations of survival and resiliency that bring us together here today.
Learn more about the Nipmuc Nation and land acknowledgment at:
For More Info, or if you need help
If you have any questions, please reach out to the DEIB office at diversity@openskycs.org.