Hampden Park Co-op Values Framework

Our Values Framework is used as a guide for assisting in policy and program decisions.

Below is part A, "Community, relationships and membership." Parts B and C will appear in the next newsletter.

We believe that the people involved with Hampden Park Cooperative constitute a community, and that every person who shops at our cooperative is a member of our community. The community and the cooperative are held together by our common interest in food.

People become involved in our community because they share basic values about food and community. These values and the relationships that evolve between individuals are the life blood of our community and are the characteristics that make us unique. We strive to clarify our shared values, to act in ways consistent with those values, and to nurture the relationships we have with each other.

It is our responsibility as a cooperative to provide all members with a sense of acceptance in the community that is not conditional on their degree of involvement. Each community member is valued no matter what level of involvement they choose, whether they choose to shop occasionally, volunteer in the cooperative, or help govern by volunteering on the board. Becoming a formal member is a matter of personal choice and is simply a public acknowledgment of one's commitment to the Hampden Park Cooperative community.