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Ben Miller

President & Founder

Ben is a chef with a green thumb, co-founder of the acclaimed restaurant South Philly Barbacoa. He was also co-founder of the People’s Kitchen Philly, which has distributed hundreds of thousands of free meals to residents of south Philly, and Masa Cooperativa, which works with regional corn farmers to make tortillas from indigenous varieties of corn. Most recently, he opened the restaurant Koński Ząb Taco, in Warsaw, Poland. Ben came to Reinhard St. in 2006, through his mentor Salihu Baukman.

Stephen Drain

Vice President

Steph is a guerrilla grower, solar-punk Afrofuturist, artist, and organizer with a deep commitment to community, environmental and labor justice. Steph envisions a future where sustainable practices and collective action shape a thriving world. Their hands-on approach to learning and problem-solving is rooted in their activism. In Steph's free time he likes to cook, travel, birdwatch and worldbuild. In every space, Steph works toward building a world where ecosystems and communities flourish together.

Eva Boodman

Secretary

Eva Boodman is a writer, educator, and vegetable enthusiast with more than ten years of experience in community projects. In her writing, in the classroom, and in her community work, she’s interested in the ways that communities care for one another in a world structured by capitalism, colonialism, and racism – and the way that care can make new worlds. She’s grateful for the opportunity to grow food, soil, and connection at Reinhard St, where she has been involved since 2021. She works as a philosophy professor at Rowan University.

Eric & Haydee Rodriguez

Treasurer

Contributing Treasurers for the Reinhard Street Community.

Yolanda Wright

board member

Yolanda is a mother, and a cook, whose family has lived on the block of the farm for over 40 years. She began exploring her passion for cooking more the last 15 years, introducing her own style of cooking, and has received much positive feedback.

Ericka Sanders

Board Member

Ericka is the block captain on Reinhard st. and has lived there for 30 years. She cares for her household and children, and has always kept a loving eye on everything going on in the neighborhood. She loves to spend her time volunteering with her church as the youth choir director and Sunday school teacher.

Mallika Kodavatiganti

board member

Mallika (she/her) grew up cooking and gardening with her family, and she considers herself very lucky to have stumbled upon Reinhard Street Community Farm where she can continue to use her hobbies to support her neighbors. She is passionate about addressing food insecurity and building community through sharing meals and spending time in nature. As a current medical student, she is eager to draw her interests in preventative medicine into the beautiful work being done at the garden.

Ahmad Almakky

board member

Ahmad is from Pakistan and has worked on a variety of wildlife conservation, clean energy, and community development projects. As a specialist in community-based approaches, his work focuses on the multifaceted and complex impacts of environmental projects on marginalized and underrepresented groups. Ahmad holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the Lahore University of Management Sciences and a Master’s degree in Environmental Management from Duke University.

Gabrielle Patterson

board member

Gabrielle is an interdisciplinary artist whose work spans animation, film, illustration, and installation. An avid gardener, Gabrielle finds peace and joy tending to plants, and she is passionate about creating engaging and impactful experiences at the farm and kitchen. Additionally, Gabrielle is currently in post-production on a short documentary about Reinhard Street Community Farm & Kitchen and its stewards. When not at the farm or her personal garden plot, you might find her at the climbing gym, riding her bike through West Philly, or enjoying a local arts event.

Patrick Carrenard

board member

I'm Patrick Carrenard, proudly coming from Jacmel, Haiti, with a rich background that spans 12 years including residing in Chad, Africa. I’ve had 50 incredible years in Philadelphia. Growing up, I was inspired by my parents' garden, which sparked my passion for gardening. I've had the joy of assisting my wife and Ben with their gardens. I also love using produce from our garden to cooking to for volunteers.

My wife and I owned a takeout restaurant on Chester Avenue and have been landlords since 1980. We celebrated our 43rd years of marriage, and our wedding day was even featured on 20/20. Professionally, I've had fulfilling roles, including working with the City of Philadelphia's foster grandchild program, graduating from community college in 1983, and enjoying long-term positions at Hilton and Marriott Hotels. Currently, I've been volunteering at the Church of Living God every Tuesday. I feel blessed to be able to participate in our community garden & to give back to our community!

For the past 7yrs I’ve had a community library where people can come take a book as well as donate one.

Tomasa Pacheco

board member

Hello, my name is Tomasa Pacheco Rojas. I was born in Puebla, Mexico. I have two daughters that I absolutely love.

I am passionate about Gardening and enjoy spending my time fixing up the community garden. I love singing in the choir at church because it makes me feel closer to my religion and God.