We're committed to improving access within our communities through cost-effective programs & projects
Our mission/vision
World U.P. is a collective of innovative and passionate people who dream of an Understanding and Peaceful global community, where everyone belongs, is celebrated, and is appreciated for our differences.
Our mission is to build our World U.P. by improving access to resources that allow humans to connect, learn, and empower each other through kindness and love.
We believe that supporting communities means creating programs that complement what already exists within that community, rather than replacing it.
To achieve that, we listen to our community, foster partnerships in alignment with our missions, and implement sustainable innovative solutions to existing obstacles and issues in achieving the vision of an Understanding and Peaceful diverse community.
Understanding (U) & Peace (P)
What does U.P. mean? Understanding & Peace. These two qualities are the bedrock to a racially and socially equitable society where people can co-exist as fellow humans, and develop as people with individual beliefs, cultures, and values.
Our philosophy is that Understanding is the kryptonite to fear, and fear is a barrier to Peace. Our programming is meant to help people overcome the fear of judgement, fear of change, fear of what is different, fear of the unknown, and fear of seeming like you don’t fit in.
Understanding & Peace is not the absence of conflict, rather the absence of destructive conflict that prevents progression and innovation. Positive conflict is a place in which struggle exists, but in a constructive way that produces new ideas, solves continuous problems, and provides an opportunity for people to undertake personal growth.
Our Story
Established in 2016 as a humanitarian organization, World U.P. is empowered by volunteers driven to improve peaceful diversity in Richmond, VA. Since our founding, we have fostered our vision to support communities through the development of access to free, quality, services and goods.
Our first and ultimate goal is to create a Cultural Community Center. A place where people can visit when they need to feel safe, valued, and inspired by the vibrant cultures that exist all around us. While the Cultural Community Center is still a goal, it was quickly apparent that they could make a bigger impact by focusing our initial efforts on creating programs that battle the food deserts that plague our community. Thus, the Mobile Produce Pantry was born.
Staffed by (mostly volunteer) individuals with diverse backgrounds and histories, we strive to take a creative approach to building programs. We rely on data to drive our impact analysis. We rely on our humanity to make decisions that are right instead of easy or cost effective. Above all, we rely on our Community to tell us what they need.