MANDELA PARTNERS

Founded in West Oakland, California, Mandela Partners was established to fill a gap that was created through deeply rooted inequities–a challenging local food environment, a legacy of redlining and economic disinvestment, and barriers to opportunities for entrepreneurs. In response, Mandela Partners supported the development of a community-directed plan that respected community members’ ability to identify local needs, and uplift community assets.

A holistic and innovative set of strategies were seeded: a community-owned grocery store, increased healthy food access points, connections to local farmers, support for local entrepreneurs, and culturally relevant wellness education.