MissionÂ
Our mission is to cultivate healthy communities through food and education
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Vision
We envision a thriving network of collaborative and vibrant communities who value the connection between food and health.
STRATEGIES
AMI strives to reach its mission through interrelated strategies:
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We support schools, hospitals, and organizations to integrate farming, nutritious vegetables, and related education into their food systems and outreach initiatives.
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We participate in regional collaborations to build a strong, equitable and healthy food system.
VALUES
AMI is committed to six interrelated values in developing our priorities and we strive to reach them through organization's operations.
Community: AMI believes that working together is critical for real change. We believe in creative collaboration that promotes the resiliency, adaptability, and strength of our communities. AMI recognizes the collective energy in diverse thought, backgrounds, skills, and education as a powerful tool for innovation, leadership, and positive change.
Education: We learn best by “getting our hands dirty” - whether on the farm or in the classroom - action, experience, discovery, and exploration fuel our pedagogy. We believe that immersive experiences, coupled with reflection, encourage the development of new skills, attitudes, and ways of thinking.
Environment: By emulating natural systems, we become better stewards of the land, our resources, and our relationships. Our sustainable farming practices are guided by a deep reverence for the natural world and a desire to rectify conventional agriculture's effects on climate change. By emphasizing biodiversity while protecting watersheds, we work to replenish the health and vitality of the precious soils that sustain us.
Equity: We value a stable food system that enables healthy food for all. Communities and individuals thrive when every person has the opportunity to grow and enjoy healthy, affordable, and culturally significant foods. By sharing knowledge, expanding local food production, training farmers, and leveraging the impact of institutions, we can advance equity in the food system.
Health: We believe in the interconnectedness of environmental, personal, and community health. Healthy soils produce nutrient-dense foods that nourish and sustain us. Healthy individuals form strong communities that, in turn, prioritize and foster social, economic, and environmental well-being.
Integrity and Respect: We lead with honesty, empathy, positivity, and transparency within our organization, in our partnerships, and throughout the communities we serve, respecting the ideas and thoughts of all those involved with AMI, regardless of their role or position. We honor the Indigenous communities and others who stewarded the land before us and remain true to our mission to cultivate healthy communities through food and education.
