Our Mission:
To build lasting food security by providing nutritious food and partnering with communities to end hunger in Western Massachusetts.
Food distribution, advocacy, our network of food pantries and meal sites, and our partnerships with people living with hunger are all integral to the Food Bank’s mission.
Our Vision:
Everyone in our region has access to nutritious food without barriers or stigma.
We believe that together, we can break down the barriers to food access and create a more equitable world.
Our Values
Respectful
We value everyone’s experiences and perspectives, and treat everyone with respect, dignity and kindness.
Trustworthy
We act with integrity, humility, and transparency, and are accountable to each other and everyone we engage with.
Connected
We learn from our team, our partners and people experiencing food insecurity, and nurture collaborative relationships to grow our impact.
Inclusive
We foster diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging that are vital to our work, our culture, and achieving our mission.
Innovative
We are curious and resilient, continually learning, adapting, and seeking creative ways to build food security.
Impactful
We make thoughtful, mission-driven decisions and use our resources wisely to deliver quality work and lasting impact.
Our Beliefs
Access to Food is a Right
Everyone in Western Massachusetts deserves access to the food they need and prefer without barriers or stigma.
Food Assistance Should Be Convenient and Dignified
Food assistance should provide the quality and variety of food people seek, in convenient, welcoming, and respectful settings.
Systemic Change Is Necessary for Lasting Food Security
To create lasting food security, we must advocate for public policies that address the systemic causes of food insecurity, including poverty and discrimination in all its forms. We seek community-driven solutions that reflect the diversity of needs, strengths, and perspectives in our region.
Centering Community Voices Makes Us Better and Stronger
We do our best work when we listen to and learn from those most impacted by hunger. To achieve our mission, we must uplift lived experience and build trust by centering community voices in our programs, partnerships, and advocacy.
Our Team Is Our Greatest Asset
We appreciate, support, and invest in our team members and achieve our impact through their talent, creativity, and dedication.
Equity Statement
At the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, people experiencing hunger and food insecurity are the focus of our mission to feed our neighbors in need and lead the community to end hunger.
We understand and continue to learn about the existence of systemic racism, class, and gender discrimination, as well as other injustices that contribute to the existence and perpetuation of hunger, food insecurity, and its many underlying causes.
We confront these injustices in ways that are consistent with our mission by developing solutions to hunger and food insecurity that are community-driven, honoring a diversity of needs and perspectives through active listening and community partnership.
Objectives:
- Ensure equity in our service delivery
- Define strategy, reach decisions, and allocate resources with active involvement of people with lived experience
- Collaborate especially with disenfranchised communities in our work and decision making
- Advance continuous improvement internally and externally, responding where bias, prejudices, and inequities appear
- Uphold a diverse board of directors and workforce through proactive recruitment and retention
- Deepen continuously our organizational culture of inclusion through:
- Professional development, listening, and learning
- Valuing different work and learning styles
- Multi-lingual communication
Approved 1/12/22