My name is Jasmine, and I am a mother of two children with a 12 year age difference. Becoming a parent for the second time gave me a new perspective. With my first child, I wasn’t as aware of how deeply nutrition can impact early development. The second time around, I made intentional choices that I believed were the best for my child’s nutrition from breastfeeding to preparing homemade purées and introducing whole, nourishing foods.

Through that experience, I witnessed my child grow in healthy and meaningful ways. She is thriving, meeting her developmental milestones, and has shown no developmental delays which reinforced for me how closely nutrition and early development are connected. That said, I also deeply believe that a fed child is always better than an unfed child. Every family does the best they can with what they have, and nourishment in any form is an act of love.

What I learned the second time changed how I viewed food, parenting, and community support.

I am raising funds to launch Rain & Joie, a child-centered nonprofit dedicated to encouraging healthy eating habits that support early brain development and learning. Through children-focused food pantries, my goal is to support families in the Harlem community by supplying fresh produce and creating access to nourishing foods. Not through judgment, but through encouragement, education, and care.

Rain & Joie exists to help families build on the love they already give their children by making fresh, healthy choices more accessible, so more children can grow, learn, and thrive.