We created a set of guiding principles that inform our work.
Our Values
Partnership
By working together and keeping the greater good in mind, we can uplift the whole community. Cooperative work and cooperative wealth break cycles of poverty.
Community
Sustainable, local development is driven by the people who live there - the real experts on what their neighborhoods need. Everything we do is in response to the needs and ambitions of the community and aims to bolster their health, self-sovereignty and quality of life.
Transformative change
We focus on deeper, long-lasting efforts that can truly transform neighborhoods. From the food we source to the partnerships we cultivate, we make sure our work provides lasting benefits to communities and the planet.
Equity
Opportunity and wealth should not be dictated by ZIP code or race. Our work builds power and wealth in communities of color to break cycles of inequity and disinvestment.
Food is fundamental
All communities need access to food. And businesses built on food create healthy, thriving communities while breaking down barriers to access and fostering a more just food system overall.
Team Culture
We create solidarity within Mandela Partners through a thoughtful and sustainable work culture based in the practices that guide our work in the community.
Mission
Mandela Partners is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with local residents, family farmers, and community-based businesses to improve health, create wealth, and build assets through local food enterprises in limited-resource communities.
