History of A Just Harvest
Formerly known as Good News Community Kitchen, A Just Harvest was founded as the “soup kitchen ministry” of Good News Community Church, United Church of Christ. After almost 20 years of feeding the hungry, the church and its (mostly Northshore) partners moved to incorporate the mission and create a non-profit that would begin to expand its services in the community. The commitment of the board of directors was to continue feeding the hungry while working to “put ourselves out of business” by addressing the root causes of hunger and poverty — the initial steps toward restoring community.
A Just Harvest intentionally utilizes three comprehensive strategies to combat hunger and poverty: 1) Direct service –feeding hungry people, 2) Advocacy, Outreach and Community Organizing — organize to empower through Northside POWER, and 3) Community and Economic Development — Creating Jobs, Education, and Community Development.
Values and Work
A Just Harvest is known for being a resource to people in need 365 days a year. At the core of the mission of A Just Harvest, is to be part of the thriving—not simply surviving—of our community. We work intentionally to be a part of building a strong foundation and restoring community with the people living here. This requires listening, walking with and remaining humble in our efforts. It also requires steadfastness in our commitment to not perpetuate our own existence, but remain relevant to the needs of the community.
The work of A Just Harvest is grounded on a set of foundational values that guide our work as we continue to imagine and explore our purpose. These are feeding hunger, cultivating abundance, seeing beyond, and building power.
These value statements are not meant to be fully descriptive in and of themselves, but to invoke and invite conversation on what they mean to those reading them and how we each bring our individual perspective, passion, and imagination to the work of A Just Harvest in “breaking bread, restoring community.”
A Just Harvest is committed to its ultimate purpose—“until all have plenty and no one is left in need” while we remain agitated by the need for our existence. This agitation, of course, keeps us ever mindful that our daily activities must always be in line with bringing our values to bear in the world.