Part Three of a Series

This series of informational blog posts come from a document Mike,Caesandra and Kevin created to help orient new Buffalo ReUse board members to our mission,vision,values and the actual history of our organization.This is a repeat of our earlier post on Buffalo ReUse’s values – we consider them so important we’re saying it again!.

Earlier parts: One Two

We’ve been reflecting on our shared values lately.These values are things we hold dear and show by practicing them that we consider them to be important to us and our community. We practice them as we move our mission forward and express our vision. It’s how we work together,and, be assured, they work for us.

We believe:

• That when you have a good idea, you need to try it.  Words rarely provide solutions to challenging problems, actions do.  Dream it, Do It!
• That you can inspire people through doing and that by doing you create opportunities for people to come together.
• That every individual in a community deserves a voice, that everyone should have access to opportunities, that everyone has the right to freely express their own ideas and concerns, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.
• That our staff should be positive and caring mentors that are unconditionally supportive of young people and that we provide emotional, educational, and social supports, even when a young person makes a bad decision.
• That every young person can contribute in a positive way to our community and create a positive path of their choosing.
• That all young adults and individuals should have access to our programs regardless of their criminal history, their history of drug use, their personal challenges, their socio-economic status, their race, their gender, their sexual orientation, or their religious beliefs, if they are committed to making a positive change in their own life.
• That relationships are critical to the successful functioning of any organization or business. Relationships must be nurtured, respected.
• Trust must be established, honored.
• That Buffalo ReUse should always be inclusive.
• That the Staff and Board leadership should be transparent and conduct business in a way that reflects this value.
• That challenges, lively debate, and struggle are part of the learning curve and should not be hidden from the public.
• That when provided with tools, resources, and knowledge, individuals can create positive changes in their own lives and the lives of others.
• That there should be more action focused on improving and sustaining the health of our physical environment.
• That decisions should be made openly, in a way that supports discussion and debate, and through consensus whenever possible.
• That staff should be hired locally from the community and that gross pay should not exceed 200% of the established living wage for any ReUse staff member.
• That our organization continue to innovate and create so we may model solutions to the most pressing challenges of our time.
• In the value of a diligent work ethic.
• In the value of the arts in nurturing community, encouraging creativity, and creating beauty.