OUR ROLE IN FIGHTING HUNGER – TREASURE COAST FOOD BANK

Equity Statement

Our Journey to Social Justice

At Treasure Coast Food Bank, we remain on an ongoing journey to achieving ever-higher levels of social justice.  To declare ourselves fully satisfied and fixed with the level of equity we’ve instilled throughout our organization and most critically to those we serve, we believe ignores the dynamic conditions that act as the root causes of poverty and hunger.

First and foremost, we value those with lived experience: our clients.  From surveys to face-to-face conversations in peoples’ neighborhoods, we take a client-centered approach by listening carefully, thinking reflectively, and then implementing change based on what we’ve learned.  We want our clients to be an integral part of the decision-making process not only to empower individuals but also because it makes us much more effective with what we do: increase healthy food access and reduce food insecurity.  Though deeply service minded, we like to think what we do is not for the community but with the community.

Our programs are designed specifically to meet our clients’ needs—today, tomorrow and beyond. What’s our plan? We walk on two legs when creating solutions to poverty and hunger. Emergency, immediate food distribution remains vital to those in our community and we’re forever committed to ensuring no one, especially children and seniors, go to bed hungry.  But we’re equally dedicated to ending hunger in our community by developing and piloting programs that increase individuals’ and families’ household resources, stabilize their finance volatility, and in turn, help put them on a stronger path to long-term food security. Our second leg, therefore, reflects our investment in such efforts as our job training initiative, which equips people with highly sought-after production skills that increase the likelihood of independence and self-sufficiency.

Finally, there’s our board, staff and the volunteers—the human capital that’s helping build equity and achieve social justice.  We’re proud to say that our staff and board looks like the community we live in and those we serve.  In addition to honoring their diversity, our staff is paid a living wage and we offer health insurance to both employees and their families.  We are proud to abide by the practices set forth in the “Fair Chance Business Pledge”. And we believe each and every member of our team, like Treasure Coast Food Bank’s clients, has a significant contribution to make to the whole—and we will continue to foster this spirit of inclusiveness.