At GA Foods, we formally review our mission, vision, values and creed during our quarterly employee meetings. As you know, people need to hear something several times for it to be really retained. Plus, new employees may be hearing it for the first time, and it is important that everyone understands our company's purpose, plans, and goals, as we go forward.
Our Mission
When we think of our company's mission, we think of it as "why we exist". Our mission statement at GA Foods is simple, but very impactful.
We define nourishment a number of ways. Obviously, it's about the food. But it's also about supplying what is necessary for life, health and growth; to cherish, to foster, to keep alive. "Nourishment" captures our compassion and our empathy for those we serve. And then the word delivered. Not only do we physically deliver meals to people's homes, but we also deliver on our promises.
Our Vision
Vision is "what we want to be". Our vision is very simple and easy to remember. GA Foods' vision is:
Nourishment delivered, 30 million times a year, by the year 2020.
We abbreviate our vision as ND|30|2020.
Our Values and Creed
Our values are "what's important to us". We have six values:
Touching Lives
Commitment
One Team
Ownership
Integrity
Trust
We embedded these six values into our creed:
I am GA Foods. I touch lives. I am committed to working as one team, united by a sense of ownership and guided by integrity and earned trust.
At every meeting, I ask an employee to volunteer to say the creed from memory. If they do, I give them $50.00. I've been doing this for a couple of years, and we've never had a meeting where somebody could not come up and say the creed. That's one of the ways that we keep our mission, vision, and values alive.
Lessons from a 13-Year-Old
I shared with our team that the other day, my 13‑year-old granddaughter, Sarah Kate, told her parents and three siblings that “a goal without a plan is just a wish” and “are your habits that you have today on par with the dreams that you have for tomorrow?”
As a 63‑year-old President, and proud grandfather, I learn and am inspired by many; not the least of which is a 13-year-old.
Pictured: Sarah Kate
