Jennifer Charles
director
jennifer@gardenworksproject.orgJennifer’s earliest and fondest memories of gardening were with her father in the backyard of their New Jersey home. Though she is admittedly too scared of bugs to become a full-fledged gardener in adulthood, Jennifer has enjoyed food and feeding people since childhood. This affection led her to pursue a career in the hospitality industry including positions in foodservice, catering and event planning. After volunteering with Northern Illinois Food Bank processing donations, she learned about food insecurity and wanted to help on a deeper level that aligned with her interest in nutrition. In 2018, Jennifer had the honor of working with The Gardenworks Project on its fall fundraiser and fell in love with its concept and mission. She looks forward to learning more about gardening and helping to eliminate food insecurity in her adopted home. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Foodservice Management from Johnson & Wales University and an MBA from Roosevelt University. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys cooking, exercising, and reading. If you’d like to connect with Jennifer, her email address is jennifer@gardenworksproject.org.