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The MENTOR Network Charitable Foundation is pleased to announce that for fiscal year 2019 the Community Partners Program will focus exclusively on funding grant requests from 501c3 organizations to adopt person-first language. Person-first language recognizes that no matter the challenges a person may face, people are— first and foremost—just people.

“The people that we support certainly deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, and that really starts, even before service, with our language and how we talk about the individuals we are honored to serve. What can seem like really small changes in how we talk about our work and the people we support can really have a big impact because we are all susceptible to bias, and the words we use serve and can serve as a nudge that helps us keep the best interest of those we support in the forefront of our mind,” said Bruce Nardella, President and CEO, The MENTOR Network, and Chairman, The MENTOR Network Charitable Foundation

In 2018, The MENTOR Network made a commitment to adopt person-first language throughout the organization. The MENTOR Network Charitable Foundation Community Partners Program’s focus for 2019 is an extension of that commitment.

About the Community Partners Program

Our Community Partners are change agents within human services. They are 501c3 organizations that are either delivering innovative care or developing new ideas and models for doing so. They also mirror The Network itself: creative, effective and focused on the highest quality standards. Our partners are results-oriented, leveraging resources and knowledge to positively impact individuals and communities and to transform society’s vision of and approach to its most vulnerable members.

To learn more about the Community Partners Program and considerations for funding, visit the Community Partners section of our Charitable Foundation website.