Farm to Neighborhood
“We aim to create a community in which all have access to delicious, nutritious, and affordable food choices”.
Why?
According to the USDA Economic Resource Service Food Access Research Atlas, nearly 47% of Athens residents live in food deserts. Food deserts are defined as areas that lack access to fresh produce, meats, and dairy within a one-mile radius of their geographical location.
Athens residents that live in areas considered food deserts face an increased risk of obesity and chronic diseases due to a diet high in fat, sugar, and preservatives and lacking the necessary vitamins and minerals found in fresh foods.
Hours & Location
Location:
585 Vine Street, Athens, Georgia 30605Mailing Address:
135 Chalice Lane Athens GA, 30606Hours of Operation:
Thursday 11-2pmContact:
farmtoneighborhood@gmail.com
Rashe Malcolm was born in Hartford, Connecticut. When she was a child, her mother joined the military, and thus she lived in a few different parts of the eastern United States before moving to Spain during high school. She really thrived in Spain, playing basketball, rapping, and cooking for the community, learning how to prepare foods from different cultures. Her mother encouraged her to enjoy the local cuisine of wherever they were at any given time, which began to foster an eclectic love for global eats. When she was a junior in 1992, her family came back to the US, and her mom decided to set up shop in Greene County, Georgia. Rashe’s mother’s side of the family, starting with her great grandfather, was from the area, and she lived on the land that their previous slave owners left to her family.
Rashe continued to work her many jobs around Athens but eventually found herself going back to school after taking a job in North Carolina. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Occupational Environmental Management from the nearby Methodist University and also obtained a paralegal certification.
After first moving to Athens in 1993, she lived here on and off, until making the permanent transition in 2005. Today, she lives on the west side of Athens with her children and husband. Since then, Rashe has been a part of many exciting ventures, from growing Rashe’s Cuisine to making a difference through the Culinary Kitchen of Athens, commonly known as CKA. CKA is a nonprofit she officially started in October 2018 with the mission to support and strengthen the local food industry of Athens. She is using the organization to fulfill her vision of preparing small local businesses for the commercial retail world through business branding, training, incubator spaces, partnership development and events, and more. Rashe has loved seeing the Athens scene shift to focus on fresh, locally-sourced food, and in a few years, she hopes to see CKA open a shared kitchen space.
Farm to Neighborhood, Rashe’s second charitable venture, seeks to create an Athens in which all have access to delicious, nutritious, and affordable food choices, regardless of their financial standing. The mission is to provide fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as prepackaged healthy and affordable mobile meals, as a nutrition-based service for limited income adults, families, and seniors living in Athens-Clarke County communities. This will serve to encourage and sustain independence for the target population. Engagement with these communities on a weekly basis will provide the opportunity to educate residents about healthy food choices and how to access and prepare healthy foods.
Having been an influential piece of the community for years, the people in Athens have realized that when Rashe does things, she does them from the heart. She’s been fighting food insecurity, an issue that is often overlooked; she is constantly expanding her horizons to take on new initiatives. More than anything else, Rashe cares about her city and doesn’t take anything for granted.