Our Mission
Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard exists to provide healthful, wholesome food to people in need, as well as nutrition and gardening education. We strive to provide services in ways that enhance the dignity, respect, and self-care of everyone involved.
Our Vision
We envision a community where 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 patrons 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
Accessibility
- 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
