Embracing Change, Empowering Community | Orcas Island Food Bank’s new mission

||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND FOOD BANK COMMUNICATIONS TEAM |||

For years, the Orcas Island Food Bank’s slogan has been “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.” That’s still on the sign above our door — we view it as central to the Orcas way of life. Our new slogan, though, is more specific to our mission: “Eat healthy and thrive.”

The new slogan emerged from a months-long process to define the Food Bank’s mission, vision, and values, with input from our board, staff, AmeriCorps members, volunteers, and customers. Karen Hirsch of Next Day Hill helped facilitate the process. Here are the results:

Mission: We nourish current and future generations of our community through food access, education, and advocacy.
Vision: The entire Orcas Island community sees food access as essential, and we support one another in guaranteeing healthy food for all.
Values:

• Quality: We are committed to healthy food, sustainably sourced to the best of our ability from local and regional suppliers, including a wide variety of nutritionally dense whole fruits and vegetables in packaging that fits the varied needs of our customers, with dignity of choice in a welcoming and respectful environment.
• Inclusion: We involve the entire community in our work and provide equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be marginalized or excluded.
• Community: We preserve the island tradition of mutual support. We strive to make the Food Bank a community hub — a welcoming and accessible place for community building, sharing and caring.
• Connection: We take a holistic approach to building and maintaining trusting relationships that help fulfill our mission.
• Innovation: We listen to our customers, volunteers, and staff to develop ways to enhance food security, nutritional education, and health.

We’re working hard to carry out our mission, fulfill our vision, and ensure that our values are reflected in everything we do. We are grateful for the support of the community, which makes it all possible.