FOUNDER/CEO

Jennyrae is the heart & soul of Homesteads for Hope, dedicated to providing families like her own a genuine sense of belonging. With a Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management Engineering, and 15 years of entrepreneurship, she's turning our vision into reality by spearheading the 55 acre development of Western New York's first Inclusive “Learn, Work & Live” intentional Community. Her true joy lies in constructing our dreams, for a better future for all families.

Contact: Jenny@homesteadsforhope.org

585.352.4673 Ext. 105

FARM MANAGER

Chris is the man behind the scenes. He works tirelessly to plan, organize, and grow our nature based classroom with our wonderful produce here at Homesteads for Hope. Chris can be found working from dawn until dusk behind the wheel of a tractor, sometimes with a pint of mint chocolate cookie ice cream during the busy season. Chris takes great pride in growing only the best produce and teaching our apprentices along the way.

Contact: Chris@homesteadsforhope.org

585.352.4673 Ext. 108

OFFICE & HR MANAGER

Ann has been part of the Homesteads for Hope family since the beginning. Best friends with co-founder Luann Brown and employed at the gravel pit Jennyrae owned, it was just a natural fit for Ann to come over to Homesteads for Hope and become the Office Manager, Human Resources, and head of accounting. Ann can be found jamming to music and getting the job done no matter what.

Contact: Ann@homesteadsforhope.org

585.352.4673 Ext. 101

OPERATIONS MANAGER

Alexis joined Homesteads for Hope after showing up for an event and just so happened to sit behind Jennyrae. She tapped Jennyrae on the shoulder to ask what Homesteads for Hope was, and immediately asked how she could help. After spending the summer volunteering in the Harvest Pizza Grill and the Blue Jean Ball, she was offered a job running the enterprises around the farm, including running events, weddings, and volunteer coordination. There is a running joke about how Alexis should just bring a mattress with her to work and move in since she is always here.

Contact: Alexis@homesteadsforhope.org

585.35.4673 Ext. 109

PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Mariah came to Homesteads for Hope as a volunteer and quickly fell in love with the people and the mission. She officially came on board in February of 2023 as part of the programs team. Mariah has a BA in Psychology and ASL (American Sign Language) from the University of Rochester. Her background and passion for people brought her here, but if they keep letting her dig potatoes she'll stay forever.

Contact: Mariah@homesteadsforhope.org

585.352.4673 Ext. 110

PROGRAM FACILITATOR

Therese has been a longtime follower of Homesteads for Hope and after spending years in the education field makes an excellent addition to the team. She takes great pride in her work and is so proud to be a part of the Apprentices journey’s. Therese has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and a Minor in Children’s Psychology. Therese has also fallen in love with the chickens on the property and is lovingly referred to as our Chicken Tender.

Contact: Therese@homesteadsforhope.org

585.352.4673 Ext. 111

FARM STORE ASSISTANT

Alyssa is one of our success stories. She began at Homesteads for Hope as an apprentice and fell in love with the farm. She wanted to be here and did all the hard work to reach her goals of becoming independent and gaining employment. Alyssa can be found in the Farm Store & Café whipping up the best breakfast sandwiches and Rowdy Roosters, and educating everyone about Homesteads for Hope. Everyone is immediately enchanted by Alyssa’s big smile and winning personality.

CSA ASSISTANT & FARM CREW

Steve is another Homesteads for Hope success story. Steve worked very hard to gain the skills needed to be a farmer and he takes great pride in everything farm related. Steve helps run the CSA pickups and loves telling people about the produce we grow here. Steve will often be found right next to Farmer Chris ready to get out to the fields.

Development Director

Nora comes to Homesteads for Hope from the small museum field and is excited to support the grant writing and fundraising efforts of the organization. She loves local history and the history of the Erie Canal, feel free to quiz her about it anytime! She loves being outside and in nature and can be found hiking on the weekends. She is excited to work with existing funders and donors to learn what they love about Homesteads for Hope and share her passion for the organization with anyone who will listen.

Contact: Nora@HomesteadsforHope.org

585.352.4673 Ext. 112

FARM ASSISTANT

Barb came to Homesteads for Hope as a dedicated volunteer back in the beginning. While she started as a farm assistant, she has also worked with programs to help bring the farm inside during the winter. When Barb is not working, she spends time nurturing her own gardens, vegetables and spending valuable time with her grandchildren and family

OUTREACH COORDINATOR

Nick is always excited to hit the ground running! With experience in festival and event coordination as well as community services, he absolutely loves engaging with the entire Homesteads family. Nick is passionate about bringing people together and creating spaces for them to fully enjoy themselves and the world around them. He enjoys hiking, swimming, and more importantly, apple white grape juice. You can find him on his off days at your local thrift store or random estate sales.

Contact: nick@homesteadsforhope.org

585.352.4673, x102

EMPLOYEES OF THE YEAR

George and Kate are Farmer Chris’ dogs and they are the best behaved employees. They run chicken security and are certified hug therapists. George will take payment in pets and Kate loves to give kisses whether you want them or not.

PROGRAM FACILITATOR

Abbey brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to Homesteads, backed by her degrees in childhood and special education, alongside a psychology minor from St. John Fisher University. Her journey began early, supporting her sister with developmental disabilities, driving her commitment. With 5.5 years at a local agency, Abbey played a pivotal role in providing essential services to individuals alike. Driven by her experiences, she's on a mission to foster inclusivity in Rochester, tirelessly working to create brighter futures. Fun fact: Abbey has been involved in the world of competitive cheerleading for 16 years and never imagined she would have a pair of muck boots in her closet!

Contact: abbey@homesteadsforhope.org 585.352.4673 ext 103

PROGRAM FACILITATOR

Shannon loves cooking and all things food related. She loves teaching people about eating seasonally & locally while getting recipe inspirations from all over the globe. For Shan, the learning never ends - she decided to go back to school for Nutrition in 2023 as an extension of her current career. Shannon has worked in many capacities of the food industry over the past 20 years, working for great restaurants and dabbled in personal chef work, but ultimately wanted to pivot her career in a meaningful, impactful way, thus, Homesteads.

Shannon enjoys making food creatures out of oddly shaped produce, so she will fit right in. Ask to see a picture of her creations!

Contact: shannon@homesteadsforhope.org

CARE FARMER

Jane came to the farm in 2024 for our first year of our Care Farming Training Program! She is using this program to kick start her career as a farmer and hopes to open her own Care Farm in the future. Jane has been in charge of a lot of the flower operations this year and has loved it so much, she plans to continue flower farming in the future! She loves all aspects of working on the farm team but her favorite thing to do is harvesting all of the beautiful produce and getting to hand it off to each of our lovely customers and members at our CSA pick-ups! Outside of work, you can find Jane working on her latest art project, rock climbing, or camping!