Lucas County is now a “Certified Welcoming” community for immigrants through the national nonprofit Welcoming America.
The county commissioners, a representative of Welcoming America, and a number of community partners announced the designation in a news conference Tuesday morning at One Government Center in downtown Toledo.
The county is the fourth community in the country to receive the certification, which launched in 2017. It is the second government entity in Ohio, after the city of Dayton, and the second county in the nation to be deemed Certified Welcoming.
Commissioner Pete Gerken said the achievement is “no small feat for anybody to achieve.” He noted the intense ongoing national debate surrounding immigration, saying the county doesn’t play a role in deciding who comes here, where they come from, or how they get here, but “we’re going to make them part of our community.”
“When people come here, when people aspire to come here, when people work hard to come here, we are a welcoming community and we have a certification to prove it,” Mr. Gerken said.
The designation recognizes communities’ efforts to be inclusive and offer support for immigrants who settle there. To become certified, communities undergo a rigorous audit to evaluate compliance with the seven categories in Welcoming America’s Welcoming Standard framework: Government leadership, civic engagement, equitable access, education, connected communities, economic development, and safe communities.
“This certification recognizes what we have always known in Toledo and Lucas County,” Commissioner Gary Byers said. “Our diversity is our strength. Together, we do better as a community, as a government.”
Melissa Bertolo, Certified Welcoming manager for Welcoming America, said the highlight of Lucas County’s efforts was the numerous partnerships among a wide range of organizations.
“When we came here to audit for Certified Welcoming, we were truly impressed by the deep relationships that exist here in this community and that are able to really move this work forward to become a more inclusive and welcoming community,” she said.
Wendy Gramza, president and chief executive of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, said immigrants contribute to the local economy and are valued members of the area workforce, making them an important part of economic development.
Mr. Gerken noted an influx of immigrants in recent years has significantly helped mitigate population loss.
“Over the years, we’ve had a low share of foreign-born residents, but the population grew by 40 percent in the last decade,” Tina Skeldon Wozniak, commissioners president, said.
Corine Dehabey, director of US Together in Toledo, said Tuesday afternoon the designation will make the county more attractive to immigrants and help alleviate anxiety as they work to make the county their new home and integrate into the community.
“It’s going to make the people comfortable, a little more at ease knowing Lucas County is certified,” she said. “It means a lot.”
First Published April 23, 2019, 7:59 p.m.
