[NFBMO] 2021 June National Board Resolution to Establish Fund to Support Survivors under Our Code of Conduct

[Daniel Garcia]

Dear Friends:

During today's Affiliate Board meeting, President Wright said that there was a resolution adopted by the National Board to Establish a Fund to Support Survivors under Our Code of Conduct. She urged us to familiarize ourselves with the resolution and to support its passage during our upcoming National Convention.

You can find the text of this resolution at:
https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/2021-june-board-resolution-establish-fund-support-surviviors-under

I will paste it here for your convenience:

2021 June Board Resolution to Establish Fund to Support Survivors under Our Code of Conduct
National Federation of the Blind
Board Resolution
Adopted June 10, 2021

The Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind supports and recommends the below policy for consideration and adoption by the 2021 national Convention.

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind was established in 1940 as this nation's civil rights membership organization of blind people; and

WHEREAS, our organization places a high value on welcoming in all blind people to membership and creating a safe space for the exchange of information and ideas in order to work collectively toward our common interests as blind people; and

WHEREAS, on January 26, 2018, the Board of Directors reviewed existing Federation policies and established a national integrated Code of Conduct to more clearly communicate consistent expectations for appropriate behavior throughout the membership and to detail processes for receiving, investigating, and addressing violations of those standards; and

WHEREAS, the organization's board of directors has committed to at least annual review and updating of the code and the processes supporting the code including incorporating feedback from members to ensure the Federation community is as safe and supportive as possible; and

WHEREAS, the organization acknowledges the courage of survivors in bringing forward their stories and the pressures that may make it difficult for survivors to feel safe in utilizing the code of conduct process; and

WHEREAS, individuals who are harmed by those who violate the Federation's Code of Conduct may require additional support in order to heal from those incidents and fully participate in the organized blind movement: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED that the organization establish the Survivor Assistance to Facilitate Empowerment (SAFE) fund in an initial amount of $250,000 as a dedicated financial resource for providing therapy support to survivors of incidents where the Federation's Code of Conduct is known to have been violated; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the board of directors have responsibility for overseeing the fund including but not limited to reserving financial resources for the fund, maintaining adequacy of the fund, reporting the fund financial status to the convention, assuring confidentiality of individuals who receive support, establishing and communicating eligibility criteria, engaging stakeholders in the fund planning, selecting and overseeing a third party claims administrator who will maintain the confidentiality of eligible survivors, and taking such other actions as may be necessary to develop and advance the fund program over time; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, consistent with the organization's Code of Conduct, all steps be taken in administering the fund to ensure that survivors are protected from retaliation based upon their use of the resources of the fund.

Regards

Daniel Garcia, Corresponding Secretary
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
dangarcia3 at hotmail.com
(816) 621-0902
www.nfb.org
www.nfbmo.org
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