Dear friends, 

Together, we’ve had front row seats to ioby’s founding and evolution. Many critical moments have changed the course of ioby’s history, none so much as ioby co-founder Brandon Whitney’s contributions. 

From the very beginning, Brandon was laser focused on building an organizational culture that fit our mission. One of the most important pieces of ioby culture that Brandon created was ioby’s Whole Person Policy, which states:

Each staff member, intern, volunteer, partner, and board member brings with them a rich variety of experiences, values, hopes, inspirations, stories, and challenges. By honoring that we are “whole people,” and by drawing on our individual qualities, we are better equipped to help others succeed.

And so:  We will honor the diversity within our team, and respect all individuals as equal members of a collegial community and as people with lives outside ioby. We will nurture our whole selves through pursuit of our own passions, knowledge sharing, fun, and active involvement in our communities.

Brandon, understanding that ioby was combining two worlds—grassroots activism and tech startup—both notorious for staff burnout, saw that this was a potential recipe for disaster. And so, he drew on the work of Parker Palmer and created this policy.

It has resulted in some of the most beautiful things at ioby, including a community of staff who share mutual love and respect for one another. 

And right now, during this global pandemic, it’s meant that ioby didn’t need to revise any of its work from home or family care policies. We already had everything we needed for our team to live as whole people. This is just one of the many strong pillars that Brandon has built to help ioby grow and flourish. 

Brandon shared a few weeks ago that his time at ioby will soon be coming to an end. While this timing may feel odd now, it’s a transition that Erin and Brandon have been planning for the last year. This is a particularly poignant time to have our beloved co-founder step away, but we know that the foundation he helped build ensures that ioby as an organization is strong enough to carry our mission forward.

In no small part because of Brandon’s leadership, ioby is now poised to grow organizationally and deepen our impact in neighborhoods across the country. But as with all community projects, we can’t do it alone. Will you give to ioby in honor of Brandon’s decade of service?

We’ve cherished Brandon’s profound care and stewardship of ioby over the years, and know that ioby is all the better for his deep role in our growth. We hope you’ll help ioby continue that legacy into the future. 

With warmth, 

Erin Barnes
Co-Founder and CEO

Jamie Hand
Board Chair