Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Cole. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Gabi was born and raised in North St. Louis City, Missouri. She moved to Chicago after high school to study Political Science and Sociology at DePaul University. She later returned and obtained a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Fontbonne University. She is currently a nonprofit executive and consultant, educator, and author. Her passion for public health and food justice drove her to research and develop a local wellness nonprofit program established in 2012 for underserved families in St. Louis. The Fit and Food Connection’s mission is to promote equitable wellness programming and healthy food access to support her community. Because of this, she has exceptional leadership experience with racial equity work, creating and leading successful programs led by community input, direct practice, public relations, community engagement, and organizational planning. Gabi Cole Social Enterprise holds her consultant work specializing in team facilitating workshops/training on community-centered work, liberatory resource development, grassroots organizational development, and coaching. She has published and co-authored several publications and anthologies. She believes social and community organizations should be mission-driven and stay true to their values. Gabi is an American Public Health Association member and has been recognized for several outstanding leadership and fundraising awards. Gabi is married with two children and resides in North Saint Louis City.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Access to capital for businesses and individual social impact work/initiatives. Public Health crisis harms the community economically, physically, and mentally, and having the capacity to fully execute transformative concepts that will improve community health due to lack of staff, funds, and access to resources and region planning.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Fit and Food Connection (FFC) works to develop and improve Wellness and Food Access programs that are specifically geared to underserved communities throughout the St. Louis Northern region. Addressing public health and environmental issues that primarily impact Black Americans, FFC works to further promote equity around wellness and food accessibility. FFC’s mission is to build a community resource that would serve North St. Louis city and county residents through healthy food distribution, urban gardening, nutrition education, and physical exercise programs in an attempt to rebuild healthy communities. We strive to foster health and wellness in underserved neighborhoods to improve the region’s public health and environment. In 2013, Gabi Cole and Joy Millner merged their respective Wellness-based and Food Justice organizations (Living Joyfully and The Food Place) and founded The Fit and Food Connection (FFC). They shared a vision of building a community resource that would serve North St. Louis city and county residents who experience a lack of access to healthy food, basic nutrition, and safe spaces for physical exercise. The FFC, which obtained its 501(c)(3) status in 2015, addresses food systems and empowers its community members to improve their health through its 2 programs (all free of charge).
FFC has sustained its programs through partnership and transformational relationships within the community, and they are integral to the success of our initiatives around the environment and urban farming. FFC’s focus area is in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods known as the Promise Zone. Promise Zone (an area that includes parts of North St. Louis City and North St. Louis County, designated in 2015 as a part of a federal program intended to increase economic activity, improve educational outcomes, reduce serious and violent crime, invest in transformative development, and improve health and wellness in high-poverty urban, rural, and tribal communities), so the families are able to have control over their health and neighborhood.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Gabi Cole Social Enterprise- work is grounded in transformational, justice-based fundraising and the love of humanity. Over the 10 years of providing input and gaining experience in social justice, fund development, and philanthropic space, I have learned that there are two important factors in my life, including my family and the health of the community. All practices and advice are suggested through a disruptive and healing approach due to the oppressive and racial inequities throughout history. This has called for action on the social issues we work to dismantle, in addition to the systems and practices that harm our region. I work with community leaders and residents, funders, fundraisers, and organizers through initiatives to unlearn, grow, and make impactful change through daily practice. Through self-assessment and personal development, being able to collaborate with partners and the community means bridging the gap between values rooted in family and social issues. Being able to show up in the workplace as your true self and acknowledging what is important in life is reflected in my personal core values and philosophy.
5 core values:
- Integrity: I will conduct business with the utmost integrity and mindset of “doing the right thing.”
- Disruption: I will challenge myself and others to think with a creative approach and stand against the status quo/norm.
- Healing: I have seen and experienced harm in and outside of the workplace, so my efforts to heal (self and community) are a priority in efforts to see the transformation.
- Quality: I value quality over quantity in all matters.
- Community: I will uplift the community because we are stronger than the individual, and when we all unite, the future looks promising.
Contact Info:
- Website: fitandfoodconnection.org
- Instagram: fitandfoodconnection
- Facebook: Fit and Food Connection
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/9426831/admin/feed/posts/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-cole-mnm-30738138/
Image Credits
Photos by myself. Some photos are taken by Henry Danner Photography STL and Girl Louie but are owned by me.
