Why DEI Matters: A Cornerstone of Human Services at Tioga County Rural Ministry

By Galen Morehead —

From my perspective here at Tioga County Rural Ministry (TCRM), I can tell you that Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) aren’t just corporate buzzwords. They are the air we breathe; it’s the very foundation of how we fulfill our mission to serve the poor, the elderly, and the sick in our community. 

When I see news about the government and big corporations rolling back their DEI initiatives, it’s more than just a political debate to me. It’s a direct and harmful threat to the people we serve every single day. Let me explain why it’s so personal to us. 

For us, diversity isn’t just about a checklist of different backgrounds. It’s about recognizing that the people who walk through our doors are incredibly varied, from long-time residents to new families with different cultural traditions and languages.

Equity is about fairness. We know that not everyone starts from the same place, so we give each person what they need to succeed, whether that means ensuring our food pantry is accessible for someone using a wheelchair or finding a volunteer who can speak a client’s native language.

Inclusion is about making sure everyone feels as if they belong here, that their voice matters, and that they can ask for help without shame or fear of judgment.

Our commitment to DEI isn’t just a choice; it’s a necessity. We serve a rural community that, despite its appearance, is far from a monolith. We are constantly encountering different needs, and a DEI-informed approach allows us to meet them. 

If we didn’t prioritize DEI, we would fail at our core mission. We wouldn’t be able to build genuine relationships with the people we serve. We’d likely miss crucial details about their situations, their backgrounds, and the specific help they need. Our services would become less effective, and our community would suffer for it.

When I hear about DEI being rolled back elsewhere, my heart sinks because I see the real-world harm it causes. It’s not an abstract conversation; it directly impacts the people we care about. 

This rollback deepens inequality by allowing the systemic barriers that already disadvantage the poor, the elderly, and the sick to get even stronger. It erodes trust, as people who feel as if an organization doesn’t value their unique needs are less likely to seek help there, leading to them going without food, shelter, or medical care. It also makes services less effective because without diverse perspectives guiding decision-making, programs and policies might look good on paper but fail to meet the actual, lived needs of the community. 

It allows us to truly connect with and serve our neighbors. In a time when DEI is under fire, we stand firm, proving that a truly compassionate and effective human service organization must be one that embraces diversity, champions equity, and fosters inclusion for all.