Mission

The OFSSGN connects and supports members of Oregon’s Farm to School community to  create a  just, equitable food and education system that provides access to healthy, local school meals and food, farm and garden education.

We provide resources, technical assistance, training, networking and policy advocacy, to build a stronger farm to school movement in Oregon.

Mission - Values

Vision

We envision an Oregon with just and equitable food and education systems, supporting the wellbeing of the diverse network of communities in our state. To us, this means that:

  • Every child and family in Oregon has access to healthy, culturally relevant food.
  • Our food is grown in a way that is sustainable and nurturing of the environment.
  • The people who work the land, and cultivate and prepare food, hold power in the food system, and are valued and cared for.
  • Our education system centers and values healthy local food systems.
  • Students of all ages are connected to their food and where it comes from.
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Future Direction & Strategy Lens

Deep Commitment to Equity, Justice, and Learning

We are committed to addressing racial and social (including economic/educational) inequities within the farm to school movement.
OFSSGN is integrating equity and justice principles and practices into all areas of the organization’s programming and spheres of influence. This means welcoming and engaging in difficult conversations, embracing the discomfort of facing our own complicity in systemic oppression, and continuously integrating our learning into our policies, programs, and practices.

Below are OFSSGN’s five core guiding principles that will serve as a lens as we work towards achieving our vision and mission, focused on farm to school and school gardens. These principles will guide the organization’s decision-making, program design, and leadership structure for our work now and in the future.

Our work remains focused on farm-to-school education and local food access in schools across Oregon. We are building a movement. OFSSGN recognizes that this strategic direction will take internal capacity building and a commitment to doing things differently. We know we will learn along the way. We will examine,
evaluate, and update these strategies yearly.

1. Focus on Leadership Development
2. Center marginalized stories, voices, and experiences, with a particular focus on young people
3. Shift Power and Resources
4. Treating people and land in a healthy way
5. Focus on Systemic Impact

We believe this will support families and communities to thrive in many aspects of their lives and in balance with our planet.