Mission, Ends, and History
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Our Mission Statement
Our Ends & Purpose:
Food Front Cooperative Grocery helps to connect members of the co-op and the public to an alternative supply chain built upon the Seven Cooperative Principles. With our Ends, we help to shape a conscious, thriving food economy that amplifies sustainable, healthy, and responsible food systems.
As of summer 2020, the Board has established seven Ends:
- E1. Open, Inclusive Membership: Food Front Cooperative aims to be a thriving, sustainable cooperative grocery store in which all are welcome and remains free of all forms of discrimination. Membership is voluntary.
- E2. Remain Member-Owned & Operated: Food Front Cooperative is owned by its members. Members help to shape cooperative policy and elect representatives that are accountable to the membership. Members have voting rights defined as one membership, one vote.
- E3. Promote a Vibrant Regional Food System: As a thriving cooperative business in the heart of Portland’s Northwest District, Food Front promotes and builds long-term relationships with local producers and vendors, allowing vendors sustained representation in the marketplace ensuring local products remain abundant.
- E4. Healthy Food For All: Food Front strives to provide healthy, affordable goods sourced from socially and environmentally responsible producers. Both goods and services shall remain accessible and serve the evolving needs of the community.
- E5. Safe Workplace: Food Front is committed to an open, approachable, and inclusive workplace that prioritizes care for employees. Employees shall have access to union representation that helps to maintain strong working relationships built on mutual engagement, excelling beyond fair workplace standards.
- E6. Inclusive Leadership: Management aims to hear and be responsive to employees needs, incorporating feedback into workplace policies and practices while having open-book management. Employees shall have access to timely information.
- E7. Care for the Community: Food Front will ensure a safe environment for store employees and customers by monitoring and maintaining responsive policies.
Food Front and it’s board members implement oversight through Policy Governance that outlines Ends Policies & what outcomes will be produced. We hold ourselves accountable to the establishment of these Ends by tracking their progress continuously. The general manager shall provide monthly reporting on compliance, helping to produce annual reports inclusive of our work with our Ends throughout the year.
Our History
In 1972, a group of neighbors in Northwest Portland joined together to sell groceries out of a little store on 23rd Avenue. Their mission was to provide their community with a place to buy good quality groceries that couldn’t be found in regular supermarkets. Even though this first grocery store was small, the impact of people coming together to provide for themselves and their community was immense. Over the years our store has moved a few times, is now owned by thousands of people and is still committed to providing the finest quality wholesome foods for our community.
