12/28/2023
Thank you Global Volunteer Recognition Program for featuring me on your social platforms today!!! I was honored to have received my award and beautiful metal! 💛
MY BIO (as featured):
I'm a dual business owner, a hunger activist, am Mrs Maine USA Earth, and just wrote my first children's book. If you google me, you'll find a whole lot. 🙂
My businesses are all love related. I built my venue, Coolidge Family Farm, from the ground up and have been operating for nine years. I launched my mobile bar business, Maine Mixologists, fourteen yrs ago and my staff serve cocktails around the State every Saturday. It was the first of its kind in the State of Maine and now I'm helping to educate on Maine liquor laws. I also saved a retired chapel from demolition and restored it to a place my couples can get married.
In my spare time, I've been fighting hunger, food insecurity and combating food waste in many ways for over 20 years. I volunteer at my local Good Shepherd Food Bank and host fundraising events at my venues annually including My "Running of the Brides 5K for Hunger" and "Flowers that Feed Runway Show" utilizing designers from around the country that I've met over the years at NYFW (I'm also addicted to fashion). Two years ago the Good Shepherd named me their first ever Ambassador and I talk about our shared mission almost daily. I've been in pageants for about six years and was honored to be crowned Mrs USA (Worldwide) two years ago and with that job I decided to take it upon myself to travel to all 50 states fighting hunger (I take every job given to me seriously and give it 150%). I connected with Feeding America and have traveled to 29 states thus far. It's been quite the journey with many stories to share and I look forward to accomplishing my goal in the coming year. Last year as Mrs. Worldwide, an international title, I developed relationships globally with the Global Food Banking Network, FEBA, World Central Kitchen (WCK), and Heifer International. I've also been working with 'To Cry For Grace' for years which benefits families in the Dominican Republic of Congo. This past spring I completed a European mission trip and visited over 12 countries in 9 days and I look forward to getting back overseas in the coming year volunteering for two weeks with WCK in Egypt helping to feed refugees. Over the past year I started a new SEEDS THAT FEED initiative where I'm collecting, donating, and helping to plant seeds to help families in need grow their own food to put on their tables. Fulfilling a long time dream, I also just set up a 501c3 and plan to open my "Helping Hands" Soup Kitchen bringing together families for a warm bowl of love and nourishment. I plan to work with local restaurants to help with food waste and utilize volunteers to help cook and serve. My hope is this won't be a typical soup kitchen. It'll be more of a soup restaurant, but by donation, that will be for all walks of life to come, gather, laugh, and help each other out. I'm excited for this endeavor to come to fruition.
In two weeks I head to Virginia Beach to compete with 41 other amazing, powerhouse women for the title of Mrs. USA Earth which I'm elated for. I've been earth conscious my entire life and look forward to sharing their ICONIC mission of inspiring change and overcoming nature's issues collectively with their sisterhood of queens from around the globe. If I'm fortunate enough to earn THE title or that of an element, I will be the overachiever that I am in all aspects of my life. ❤️
📸 Carlos Velez Studios
Iconic USA Mrs USA Earth
