Jackie Orange, CEO of Taste Harlem, a Harlem-based food tourism company, is developing a new service to attract local Harlemites that have yet to try healthy living options in their own backyard.  -This puts a new spin her core business that typically caters to out-of-towners seeking samplings of the city's offerings of gourmet and ethnic eats.  

She's teamed up with Economics faculty at City College looking for a service-learning experiences for their Social Entrepreneurship students. The partnership took off in September 2009 when students met with Ms. Orange and spent the semester surveying Harlem and neighboring communities for healthy and organic food, fitness and daily living options.

 Students applied their new found academic training in social entrepreneurship to assist Ms. Orange in developing her financing model and soliciting partnerships for her healthy living tour, aptly named Harlem Eco-Tours. Students also accompanied Ms. Orange to community meetings on health; and attended other meetings on her behalf, reporting back on key issues that could have an impact on her project.

The group also solicited advice from Colleen Kapsimalis and Laura Shulman at GetHealthyHarlem.org!

Ms. Orange wants to keep the service affordable to local residents including seniors and disabled populations on fixed incomes. City College and Greenproofing (an environmental entrepreneurship organization affiliated with the college) plan to work with Ms. Orange during the spring semester to launch the next phase of research and planning. 

Visit http://www.tasteharlem.com/ 

Contact

Jackie Orange, Taste Harlem and Harlem Eco-Tours

Email: bookjack@yahoo.com

For more info on social entrepreneurship program at City College contact Greenproofing here on GetHealthyHarlem.org ###