Health, Love & Community
A passionate advocate for youth and food activist, she is affectionately known as Chef Charlene in the community. She is on a mission to spread greater awareness about the importance of sustainable food systems and healthy living. She credits her late grandmother Ardith Ransom for her passion for cooking. Charlene said by preparing meals after school she discovered what would become part of her platform today.
As founder and CEO of Elegant Bouquet Kitchen, Inc. created in 2013, Messer is now promoting food equity, urban gardening, nutritious food, and wellness. She has spent the past decade connecting residents to high quality produce grown at local urban gardens and food demonstrations. Charlene is a Servsafe Manager Instructor & Proctor certifying nationally.
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Community Service
A fellow of the Cloud Institute for Sustainable Education, Messer is involved with numerous community partnerships including gardening initiatives run by Newark Science and Sustainability, Urban Agriculture Cooperative, Alminur Farms, La Casa De Don Pedro, Newark Community Health Center, and the Rutgers Newark-Price Institute.
Additionally, she also serves as principal of CHARM’S Business Consulting, LLC, fellow of the Governing Institute of New Jersey, Fellow of Community Foundation Leadership Initiative of New Jersey, and Kean University Alumni where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Administration, New Jersey Notary Public, Consultant, 2024 Rutgers Cooperative Extension Master Gardener, an avid attendee of culinary workshops to learn, and refine her cooking techniques. During her extra-curricular time Ms. Messer serves as Exquisite 1st runner up Ms. Full Figured NJ USA.
Messer resides in Newark, New Jersey with her 24-year-old daughter, her inspiration for nurturing the next generation of “garden to table” enthusiasts, urban gardeners and entrepreneurs.
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