Welcoming Gainesville & Alachua County, Inc., (WG&AC) is a 501(c)(3) registered nonprofit dedicated to making Gainesville, Florida, an inclusive community that welcomes immigrants, international students, and refugees and celebrates diversity as a source of strength and innovation. Part of the nationwide Welcoming America network, WG&AC accomplishes this mission by creating and promoting immigrant-friendly policies, communicating welcoming principles and the benefits of inclusion among residents, and organizing programs and events that unite individuals from a variety of backgrounds.
The vision for WG&AC is to establish a city in which individual residents, local government, businesses, nonprofits, faith communities, institutions of higher learning, and other organizations work together to create a climate that welcomes immigrants and supports their long-term integration into our community. This vision is founded in the principles of eliminating prejudice, celebrating diversity, and assisting newcomers in becoming established in our community.
It is with this vision in mind that WG&AC is looking for a selection of small, local businesses with storefronts to participate in our new Welcoming Business Initiative. The Welcoming Business Initiative is designed for three purposes: to solidify stronger and more numerous partnerships between the WG&AC’s organization and the Gainesville community, to instill confidence in Gainesville’s newcomers that designated businesses will be welcoming and inclusive, and to spread awareness of WG&AC’s mission within the greater Gainesville population.
In the beginning phase of this program, WG&AC is asking businesses to sell its “We’re Glad You’re Our Neighbor” yard signs in the same location that customers purchase goods and/or services from the business. In return, participating businesses will receive:
- One “We’re Glad You’re Our Neighbor” sign
- One “Welcoming Gainesville and Alachua County” Member Sticker
- Name and Logo on WG&AC’s website as well as all distributed newcomer resources and other marketing materials
