mission and goals

Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard is a food pantry whose mission is:

  • To provide healthful, wholesome food to people in need, as well as nutrition and gardening education and
  • To provide our services in ways that build community while enhancing the dignity, respect, and self-care of all involved.

Our Vision:

  • We envision a community in which everyone has equal access to nutritious food, waste is minimized, and all members are healthy, self-sufficient, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Our values:

    HEALTH

    • Quality nutrition: Provide the healthiest foods available - organic when possible.
    • Education:  Provide clients with opportunities to learn about nutrition, wellness, and gardening.

    EMPOWERMENT

    • Patron-choice: Run the pantry following the patron-choice model, which honors patrons' food choices and reduces waste.
    • Patron Volunteers: Encourage patrons to play an active role in the organization by volunteering.
    • Education: Offer opportunities to improve knowledge and skills of nutrition, cooking, and gardening.

    RESPECT

    • Honor system: Serve as a user-friendly resource that does not require its patrons to justify their need.
    • Positive Atmosphere: Create and maintain an atmosphere of support and safety for our patrons, volunteers, and staff.

    ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

    • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle:  Operate our pantry in an environmentally responsible manner by reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting when possible.
    • Minimize waste: Utilize the food rescued by Hoosier Hills Food Bank first to distribute food that would have otherwise been wasted.

    ACCESSABILITY

    • Non-discrimination: Be open to people regardless of race, age, sex, religion, political orientation, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, disability, or any other factor.
    • Honor system:  Encourage pantry use by people in a variety of circumstances by trusting and honoring their need for assistance.
    • Patron choice:  Accommodate a range of tastes and backgrounds by offering patrons choice in food items and level of involvement in other programs.

    BALANCE

    • Healthy Boundaries: Encourage patrons to only take what resources they need and will use, and encourage volunteers, staff, and donors to give only what they can give while serving their own health and integrity.

    COMMUNITY

    • Collaboration:  Work with other social service agencies to refer patrons when appropriate, to fill community needs, and to create an atmosphere of trust and goodwill
    • Cooperation: Work with other social service agencies whenever possible to avoid duplication of services and improve efficiency
    • Consensus Decision Making: Run the organization using the consensus model, hearing and honoring diverse viewpoints.

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