What we do:
Healing for People and Planet
People: We offer spiritual events, classes, and opportunities that help balance mind, body, and spirit. We welcome teachings and teachers from a diversity of backgrounds and traditions who can share their wisdom through meditation, sound baths, yoga, healing circles, and mindfulness, among others.
Planet: Rustic Roots Sanctuary believes that the planet is sacred. We teach sustainability and how to be a responsible and joyful land tender.
Belonging
We aim to create a safe space for people from various spiritual, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds. Our programming celebrates a true diversity of experience in order to witness, support, and uplift our community.
Service
We offer healthy food access, nutritional healing, and herbal remedies to our community. We feed our seniors, hold a weekly farmers market, and collaborate with small, eco-friendly business and health practitioners. We do our best to respond to the needs and requests of others and of the Earth – whether through the work of our farm or through our spiritual programming.
Social Justice
Rustic Roots Sanctuary acknowledges the great harm done to Indigenous peoples and people of African descent in this country, and we support sovereignty by providing ways to become physically, spiritually, and psychologically healthy. We give special attention to the remembrance of ancestral wisdom that can serve at this time.
Board of Directors
Lenora Gooden
PresidentLenora is a native of St. Louis and she received her BS in Sociology & Minor in Criminology from The University of Missouri St. Louis. She is an alumni of FOCUS St. Louis (FOCUS Fellows Class 2020-2021) and served as a member of the Supply Chain and Analytics Advisory Board for the University of Missouri – Saint Louis. Her career in hunger relief began at The St. Louis Area Foodbank in 1996 and she spent 26 years gaining a wealth of experience within food banking and the issues surrounding hunger and food insecurity. In 2021, she decided to change environments and went on to join another food bank in the area, Operation Food Search, where she spent almost a year before joining her current employer, Umoja Supply Chain Solutions. Her passion for providing food to help communities thrive is the main objective of her current position in hunger relief as she serves on the Procurement team at Umoja, purchasing food items for food boxes that are designed for food banks. Full circle! Lenora feels this is a great time to serve on the Board of The Rustic Roots Sanctuary! “It is a great fit, I’m passionate about fresh produce and providing that option to communities and Rustic Roots Sanctuary is a great organization doing great work!” In her spare time, she loves to cook, travel, enjoy great music, enjoy family and relax with her husband of 8 eight years/best friend of 18 years, Reginald Gooden.
Janett Lewis
Founder/Executive DirectorHolds an Early Childhood Education degree and has been a licensed holistic health provider for over twenty years. Lewis began her twenty plus year holistic health care career while obtaining an Associates Degree in Real Estate. Lewis has twelve years experience as a RE professional and investor and two years experience marketing for small businesses. Lewis has served her communities in many ways including two years as a board director of the Clairemont Town Council (CA), two years serving on the board of the Spanish Lake CDC, one year as the Board Chair of the Spanish Lake CDC, and is a St. Louis Neighborhood Leadership Fellow. Lewis is passionate about fighting for food equity, teaching people to grow food, the importance of nutrition, and how to live more sustainable lives. Having a background in Waldorf education, holistic health care, and business prepared Lewis to launch Rustic Roots Sanctuary Co.a culmination of her life's greatest works.
Connie Risby
TreasurerHas a background in marketing and sales and is a long time Spanish Lake resident. A seasoned business and marketing professional with forty years of experience, Connie Risby’s experience crosses several industries, including: Retail, Fast Food/Quick Casual/Full-Service Restaurants, Heating and Air Conditioning (HVAC), Employment Recruitment Marketing, Government/Military and Financial Services/Banking. Connie has expertise in identifying problems area(s) and developing key objectives, strategies, and tactics at every level including, budgeting, branding/creative, consumer/trade media (online and offline), sales projections, product mix analysis, promotion evaluations, competitive analysis and measurement.
Katherine Moore-Freeman (Kate)
SecretaryA passion for plants and environmental stewardship has served Kate well over the last twenty years of her career in the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Horticulture Department. A reverence for ancient artistic techniques and a veneration of common ‘one-time-use’ materials has motivated Kate as an artist and as a supporter of local arts, Kate has served her community as the newspaper editor for the St. Louis Chapter of the Women’s Caucus for the Arts and as the exhibits chair for The Northern Arts Council. As a long time Spanish Lake resident and as a mother, Kate hopes that her commitment to creating a legacy of lasting value for future generations will guide her well in her collaboration with Rustic Roots Sanctuary’s Board and volunteers.
Jeremiah Sampo
Board of DirectorsJeremiah grew up in a small north woods town in the state of Wisconsin, spent almost 2 years in Minneapolis where he attended North Central University. He has worked with an organization that reached out to the homeless and runaway youth with the purpose of helping them turn their lives around. He was an assistant leader at the Joshua House that provided a stable environment for young men so they could transition out on their own. He moved to St. Louis, MO in 2003 and has fallen in love with the area and the wide variety of businesses and entertainment it offers. He has held many positions in the workforce from general laborer, and small business owner, to department manager. In 2015 he earned his B.S. in Business Administration from UMSL. In August 2020 he accepted a position as a Receiving Coordinator at the St. Louis Area Food Bank. It has been his desire to work with organizations that support the community. He brings a strong work ethic, organizational skills, and critical thinking. He looks forward to building relationships, and learning new skills. He sees challenges as building blocks to a strong mind and body.
Donna Rae Jones
Board of DirectorsDonna Rae is a Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher and Coach working with adults and children since 2015. Her passion for community, connection, and mindfulness is evident as the founder of Black Women Hike Sundays and co-founder of Mindfulness with People of Color.
Erin Simon
Board of DirectorsI'm an energetic fundraiser and marketer working to increase the capacity of non-profit organizations. My passion and expertise include development management, fundraising and marketing plans, interim management, data analytics and research, brand strategy, and marketing and communications. I enjoy finding creative and feasible solutions to the industry's broadly relevant issues. Specific fields of experience include arts and culture, museums, health care, and faith-based organizations.
Dorlita Adams
Advisory BoardDorlita Adams is currently the principal of Barbara C. Jordan Elementary School. Dorlita Adams is a native of St. Louis, MO and grew up on the west side of the city. She is a graduate of Mulberry Grove High School, in Illinois, and has an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and Behavior Disorders from Harris-Stowe State University. Dorlita earned a Master's of Arts in Educational Administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and completed her Education Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership at Missouri Baptist University. Dorlita and her husband (a preschool teacher) are residents of Unincorporated St. Louis County. Dorlita Adams vast work experience includes: the Ritenour School District for seventeen years; Director of Alternative Education in the Ritenour School District; Principal of Kratz Elementary School for eleven years; Reading specialist and an Assistant Principal at Hoech Middle school; Principal at Kratz Elementary School; Assistant Principal at Adams Elementary School; Ferguson Florissant School District for seven years. Her extensive roles included one year as a Reading Specialist and six years as a Reading Recovery Teacher. Mrs. Adams started her illustrious career as a fourth-grade teacher in the St. Louis Public School District. She was a teacher leader there for four years. Throughout her career, Mrs. Adams has been active within the community and is a member of community service organizations that provide support to children and their families. She is also one of the founding Chief Executive Officers of “Passion 4 Pink Change,” a non-for profit organization established to help individuals who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and their families. Mrs. Adams’ multifaceted leadership abilities include strong interpersonal skills; extensive management experience; a phenomenal educational foundation; a solid work ethic; excellent communication skills; and enhanced decision-making skills.
Tamara Daugherty
Advisory BoardTamara Daugherty is a Nature enthusiast. She has taken several classes on natural remedies and gravitates toward herbal remedies and healing through whole foods. She has completed 2 years of the Beekeeping Mentorship Program at Rustic Roots Sanctuary. She has been a supporter since day one. She has volunteered to work on the farm, helped out at events and the weekly farmers market and is happen to advise and guide the leadership at Rustic Roots Sanctuary.
Our Farm Family
Sharon "Cookie" Mitchell
Senior Programs/OutreachHer neighbors and friends call her MS. Cookie. She's also been referred to as Ms. Spanish Lake. She has served on the Community Development Board (CDC) for 4 plus years. She volunteers as the Bingo caller at the Twillman House, Helping Hands Food Pantry and the Innovative Crime and Safety Summit in Bellefontaine Neighbors. You will see Cookie at the weekly farmers market @ Rustic Roots Sanctuary and at the check in booth for our public celebrations. She has been instrumental at building our Senior programs and makes weekly confirmation calls to all our participants. She has been a resident of Spanish Lake since 1998 and a member of God's First Church (GFC - Pastor Lucas) in Spanish Lake. Her background is in education and has work experience of 40 years in accounting and business. For her serving her community is a honor. She has a deep love for Spanish Lake and advocates passionately on behalf of the underserved in our community. She helps people get the information they need to live a better quality of life and for growth of Spanish Lake. Her desire is for each of us to live together as one for all and to be active and engaged in Spanish Lake. In 2022 she was the 1st resident of Spanish Lake to receive the Lieutenant Governors’ award for her community service.
Eric Scott
Facilities Manager/Farm OperationsEric started his working career in Operations/Facility Management with emphasis in Agricultural International Business. After over twenty five years in this line of work he decided to make a change and left the corporate world to continue his passion for the building trades. A1 General Contractors was started and grew into STL RE Investments LLC. which served Residential Veterans, and Seniors in the Saint Louis area. Scott has been instrumental in every step of property development, maintenance, and construction buildout of Rustic Roots Sanctuary. He envisions a space where the community is welcome to enjoy the bounty of fresh produce and find peace in the beautiful surroundings.
Eric Stevens
Farm ManagerEric has been involved with growing local produce for over eighteen years. Eric and his wife, Crystal, co-founded FLOURISH along the bluffs of the Mississippi River which encompasses a farm, a plant nursery, and an apothecary. Additionally, Eric has extensive knowledge in edible and ecological landscapes. Eric has been the Farm Manager for various organic farms around St. Louis such as Confluence Farm, EarthDance Organic Farm School and La Vista CSA Farm. He has also been a consultant for other small farms in the area. In 2016, he was selected as a US Delegate by Slow Food St. Louis at Terra Madre, an international food conference in Turin, Italy. Eric is also a fine artist with an emphasis on printmaking and woodblock prints and hand painted house portraits. He is a carpenter, woodworker and land steward.
Brandon (Kam) Gilliam
Chef/Nutritional ProgrammingBrandon Gilliam has been cooking for 15 years and earned his Associates Degree in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management from L’Ecole Culinaire in 2014. He is chef & owner of Original Family Smokehouse, a plant-based soul food restaurant. They have been in business since 2017 and are dedicated to shifting the perspective of healthier & more environmentally friendly food for his community. He will be bringing his focus on sustainable compassionate & soulful eating to our farm this season.
Chef Rona Leah
Specialty ChefRona Leah, chef, folk herbalist, small farmer and, educator at Tend & Flourish School of Botanicals. Her focus is cooking with herbs for everyday wellness and support, advocating for local food production, and ending food apartheid.
Karen Schone (Kari)
Farm AssistantSince returning to Missouri 19 year ago, Kari has discovered her passion for sustainable agriculture and volunteered at an organic CSA, elementary school gardens, an urban farm, grown a backyard garden, and spearheaded a collectively-worked neighborhood garden. She continues to raise her three boys and work at a family-owned skating rink. She is thrilled at the opportunity to join the Rustic Roots Sanctuary team and is most excited about getting to know the people who are a part of the farm and community!
Yong Soo Kim
Farm SupportYong Soo Kim manifested into existence on May 3rd, 1985, in the city of Lowell, Massachusetts. His passion for growing fruits and vegetables are shadowed ONLY by his love for eating them! "We all have a duty to ensure that future generations have something nutritious and delicious to eat." Favorite veggie - Zucchini Favorite fruit - Mangosteen
Josh Hagene
Farm SupportJosh is a 23-year-old tattoo artist from St. Louis. He enjoys making art, gardening, and traveling to new places around the world. He loves animals and has a deaf American Bulldog named Buddy.
Nu Collier
Program SupportNu is deeply passionate about working with the Earth, striving to restore and maintain balance in food production, sustainable living, and increasing accessibility to underrepresented communities. Her love and dedication to this work sparked almost 8 years ago when she was part of a team who converted an abandoned lot to a community garden in a food desert area in North St. Louis. Since then, she has volunteered in several different gardens and connected with many beautiful people. After answering what felt like a calling to immerse herself in this field, she dove into the world of farming. She now leads a part time garden program with Urban Sprouts Child Development Center where she teaches and work with students through each stage of the food growing process. She enjoys watching their development and response to food growth. She hopes to continue to expand and share her gifts with our community!
Jasmine Pirtle
Farm SupportI am a 22-year-old local resident and grower of Spanish Lake. I am deeply devoted to reconnecting my family and local community with food and their growth processes. Outside of work, you'll find me gardening of course, reading, capturing moments through photography, and crafting all sorts of things! I'm overjoyed to dive into the world of livestock and eager to learn every aspect of how creation aids us in sustainable living!