DBCFSN Mission Statement
DBCFSN works to build self-reliance, food security and justice in Detroit's Black community by influencing public policy, engaging in urban agriculture, promoting healthy eating, encouraging cooperative buying and directing youth towards careers in food-related fields.
DBCFSN’s Vision Statement
DBCFSN's vision is to advance movement towards food sovereignty while advocating for justice in the food system that ensures access to healthy foods with dignity and respect for all of Detroit's residents.
DBCFSN’s Core Values
Love: Love is the force that motivates our work. We love and are committed to black people in particular and humanity in general. We love and are committed to Detroit. We are striving to create healthy individuals, relationships, and communities.
African Self-Determination: We believe in and work to promote self-reliance, collective work, cooperative economics, and self-governance among African people. Towards those ends, we value and encourage initiative and purposeful work, be it manual or intellectual.
Integrity: We are working on behalf of our communities. In our organizational practices, we therefore strive to create transparency and a culture of critique. We are committed to acting in a manner that is principled and honest.
Justice: We believe in and work to promote racial equality, class-consciousness and gender equality. We are committed to fighting injustice and building community models of justice. We uphold good food as a human right.
Respect for Life and Nature: We honor and respect spirit, life and nature. We have the responsibility of good stewardship of the land and water.
Sustainability: We value and are developing an organizational culture of learning, growth and youth development. That culture is future focused, but informed by history. We advocate for human systems (food, energy, etc.) that are just, regenerative and earth friendly.
Our four core programs are:
D-Town Farm - D-Town Farm is a seven acre organic farm in the City of Detroit’s Rouge Park.. We grow more than 30 different fruits, vegetables and herbs that are sold at farmers markets and to wholesale customers. The farm features four hoophouses for extended-season growing, bee-keeping, mushroom cultivation, large-scale composting, farm tours and an annual harvest festival.
Food Warriors Youth Development Program - The Food Warriors Youth Development Program engages more than 175 young Detroiters in experiences that teach them about food security and food justice and about the value of gardening, healthy eating and exercise.
Ujamaa Food Co-op – The Ujamaa Food Co-op is currently a monthly buying club that allows co-op members to obtain healthy food at below retail cost. We have been working on morphing the buying club into a co-op grocery store.
“What’s for Dinner?” Lecture Series - Currently in it’s fourth year, the “What’s for Dinner?” Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the Detroit Public Library a features lectures in April, June, August and October that provide Detroiters with in-depth information on food system related issues.
Researching best product mix for planned co-op grocery store.
Identifying and solidifying relationships with suppliers.
Identifying store equipment needed along with costs and possible sources.
Assisting Co-op Developer with a variety of tasks related to establishing the store.
Attending and reporting at monthly meetings of the Co-op Advisory Committee.
Assisting with development of the job description for the general manager and with conducting a national search to fill that position.
Weekly mentoring.
Providing access to documents chronicling progress on this project.
Attendance at conferences and workshops as appropriate.