United Way of Central Indiana earns Diversity Award

On Thursday, Mayor Joe Hogsett joined the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee (GIPC) to host the 17th annual Celebration of Diversity Awards. Four awards were presented at the ceremony. United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI) received the Workforce Diversity Award. It is presented to an organization that strives to improve diversity at all levels of the organization. United Way of Central Indiana believes that our community is best served when diversity and inclusion are embedded in everything we do. UWCI has a successful diversity and inclusion training program, provides career development for all employees, and actively recruits interns and graduate students from diverse backgrounds. UWCI supports and attends the Indiana Black Expo luncheon, Indy Pride Fair, Mayor’s Diversity Luncheon, Diversity Roundtable of Central Indiana Annual Conference, Indiana Latino Institute events, and Asian Alliance events. Other award recipients were Citizens Energy Group (Leadership Award), McDonald’s Faith & Goodness Corporation (Excellence in Youth Employment Award) and Honda Manufacturing of Indiana (Sam H. Jones “Best of the Best” Award). For the second year, the event raised funds for ProjectIndy, Mayor Hogsett’s summer youth employment initiative. Project Indy provides meaningful opportunities for at-risk youth, giving hundreds of local young people job experience, useful skills, and safe and productive alternatives to crime and gangs over the summer months. The program comes at no additional cost to taxpayers, funded through federal grants, community organizations, and donations from leading corporations such as Genesys and Visit Indy – Title Sponsors of the 17th Annual Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity Awards. This year, the program includes a new workforce preparedness program – Job Ready Indy – designed to provide soft skills training and prepare Project Indy youth for a diverse array of career paths. Visit ProjectIndy.net for more information on how your teen or company can get involved. Hundreds of community members gathered on Monday to celebrate local businesses that foster a culture of diversity and inclusion. During the ceremony, Mayor Hogsett highlighted the importance of Project Indy and encouraged local business and community leaders to become involved in supporting the next generation of Indianapolis’ diverse workforce. “Thanks to today’s awardees, our community thrives because of our diversity,” said Mayor Hogsett. “And thanks to Project Indy, Indianapolis will continue to thrive for generations to come. We have the power to make the future brighter each and every day for the City of Indianapolis – and together, as One City, we shall.”