ABOUT US

Zealous Empowering Nurturer, Incorporated (ZEN) is a nonprofit organization founded by April Booker. As a young girl, April spent time with her grandmother harvesting crops from their family garden. However, it wasn’t until the 2020 pandemic that April had the time to start a garden with her own family. The lockdown created a new hobby for her to share with her husband and children and it became both enjoyable and therapeutic. It was during this time that April discovered her hobby was a part of her purpose.

In May of 2023, we opened ZEN's Garden For The Community as Charlotte’s educational edible landscape hub—a living classroom and gathering space that supports all of ZEN’s programs.

ZEN was created to lessen food insecurities by providing the community access to a garden where they can grow their own fresh foods, become educated on the benefits of gardening, learn from one another, and build friendships. In addition, ZEN developed programs to actively promote healthy eating in the Charlotte, NC community.

Support Our Mission

Your Gift Helps Us "Grow With Purpose"

Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Meet The Team

Founder / Executive Director

April Booker

April Booker combines her love for gardening and helping those in need to create this organization to truly heal the community from the inside out.

Community Herbalist

Kandra Johnson

Kandra Johnson, native of North Carolina that goes by Queen, uses her gift of herbalism to energize the community. She has served as community engagement representative throughout Charlotte and surrounding areas for both public and private sectors.

Empower Our Captain

Erika Filipkowski

Erika Filipkowski, known as Ms. Flip has been teaching for over 15 years with a focus on STEM science education. Her absolute passion is sustainability because we are all lifelong learners that need to do our part for the environment and community.

Garden Captain

Leon White

My name is Leon and I like plants!!!

Food 101 Captain

Chasidie Glover

Chasidie Glover, MS, RDN is licensed registered dietitian, who has focused her career on nutrition security which means making sure underserved people have access to nutritious food. She is passionate about educating the community on how to shop,budget and prepare nutritious food as a solution to nutrition insecurity.

Operations Assistant

Sydney Stinson

Sydney Stinson is a sophomore at CPCC majoring in Horticulture Technology, bringing a strong passion for sustainable growing practices and community-centered gardening.

Executive Assistant

Dr. Shaverra Jones

Dr. Jones is an experienced speech - language pathologist dedicated to empowering others through her work. She is passionate about community service, teamwork, and creating meaningful impact by helping others thrive. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys cheering on her favorite teams - the Gamecocks, Aces, and Steelers.

Lead Chef

Gillian Howard

Gillian graduated from Johnson & Wales University–Charlotte in 2020 with a degree in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management after serving in the U.S. Air Force. Her travels across Japan, Korea, England, and Qatar shaped her love for people, food, and culture, which she now share as a private chef and community educator. Her proudest achievement is founding The Junior Cultured Chefs, Inc., a nonprofit culinary camp guiding youth ages 7–17 through gardening, cooking, shopping, and composting.

Digital Marketing and Event Planning

Cassidy Sheehan

Cassidy Sheehan is a marketing and events professional with extensive experience in digital marketing, Sponsorship development, partnership cultivation, and events management. As the founder of P.O.P Marketing & Events, Cassidy oversees the event planning and digitial marketing strategy for ZEN, supporting initiatives that advance food access, wellness, and community engagement.

Meet The Board Of Directors

At Zealous Empowering Nurturer (ZEN), our Board of Directors is made up of passionate leaders who bring a wealth of experience in community development, education, health equity, and nonprofit governance. United by a shared commitment to ZEN’s mission of promoting healthy eating, increasing access to fresh food, and fostering healing through gardening, each board member plays a vital role in shaping our vision and guiding our growth.

Together, they provide strategic direction, ensure organizational accountability, and help cultivate partnerships that allow us to expand our impact across Charlotte and beyond. Their leadership is rooted in service, and their dedication fuels our motto: "Growing with Purpose".