Meet Elizabeth McSwain | Restaurant Co-Owner & Non-Profit Executive Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elizabeth McSwain and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elizabeth, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Food is Life, Food is Love! For me and my family, food has helped to strengthen our bond, create fun memories, and foster deeper connections. 1n 2016, the McSwain family opened the doors to Beola’s Southern Cuisine and we also, launched Caramel Connections Foundation (CCF) to help fight food insecurity in the Inland Empire. Our family believes that if you make money in a community you must give back to that community. As the Founder/Executive Director of CCF, I am passionate about connecting with the community. At CCF, we believe everyone deserves to live long, healthy lives. Since its inception, CCF has launched many successful initiatives and educational events that have given families practical tools to improve their well-being through organic gardening, culinary arts, literacy, and physical fitness.

In 2018, CCF leased a plot at a local garden in order to start a gardening and cooking club. Despite only having one small single plot, in just one year we experienced exponential growth of the program and a high level of community engagement caught the attention of city officials who recognized how effective CCF was in making healthy living accessible for Inland Empire Residents.

By 2020, the forward-thinking City Council leaders of the City of Ontario saw such value in CCF’s programming that they sought us out to create and manage a 1-acre gardening space located within the Anthony Munoz Hall of Fame Park. With the additional support of the University of California Extension Program and by collaborating with many other organizations, Caramel Connections’ vision to cultivate healthy communities is well on its way to impacting the greater good of the Inland Empire and beyond toward thriving health!

On October 9, 2021, Caramel Connections Foundation officially moved thirty-one families into their FREE raised beds. The Seeds of Joy Community Garden is an opportunity to make a lasting mark on marginalized communities by being an education destination for healthy, abundant living. Health is a Right, Not a Luxury!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
At a time like this, the need has never been greater. Preventable diseases such as; high blood pressure and diabetes plague systemically marginalized communities. CCF’s mission is to come alongside the Inland Empire’s most underserved communities to help combat food insecurity. CCF is tackling obesity and heart disease by bringing fun to fitness and sparking a love of organic gardening and healthy eating. Equity; not everyone can have a garden at home. Our priority area of focus is to identify, implement, and evaluate strategies to expand access to healthy, sustainably produced, culturally appropriate foods; minimize the community and environmental cost of food production and distribution, decrease sedentary time and increase environmental awareness and stewardship.

Caramel Connections Foundation programs and activities serve systemically marginalized communities, which may include but are not limited to Asian, Black, African-American; California Native American, disabled; Elders, Seniors; LGBTQIA; Low Income; Formerly Incarcerated; Students of Color; Trans and or Non-Binary People; Immigrants – documented and undocumented, Veterans; and youth. At CCF our goal is to break down barriers with culinary arts and organic gardening.

Though the Covid19 pandemic flipped the world upside down, CCF hasn’t wavered from our commitment to helping Southern Californians access the nutritious food and low to no-calorie Balance Calorie Initiative beverages they deserve. When families gain access to healthy food and wellness education, we believe they can become empowered to harvest their own nutritional foods, improve their health and take back control of their future,

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Let the Good times Roll! When our friends come to visit California we always do some retail therapy at the Beverly Center or Costa Mesa Mall. After a day of shopping, we take our guests to the SLS Hotel to enjoy a smoky cocktail and see the hotel’s beautiful ambiance. We definitely sign them up for a Yoga and or Gardening Class at the Seeds of Joy Community Garden. The trip would not be complete without a visit to Beola’s Chicken & Waffles in Upland for the best Soul Food in the Inland Empire.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It takes a Village! Shout Outs to my village of supportive risk-takers: The McSwain Family, the CCF Board, ABA, BCI, Niagra Cares, Khols Cares, Al Boling, Debra Porada, Chef Alfonso Gordon, James & Vanessa Martinez, Dwayne McClendon, Francisco “Cisco”, Willie W. Williams, Esq., Maya Crim, Lawrence McNeal, Nanette Hart, Healthy RC, Geraldine Reilly, sponsors, volunteers, and stakeholders such as Anthem, Blue Cross, IEHP, Overland Discovery Group, LLC, IERCD, First 5 San Bernardino, SLJ Pro Audio Services, Beola’ Southern Cuisine, US Naval Academy Ques, ConnectIE, Master Gardeners & Master Food Preservers, Rainbird, REI, EFNEP, 100 Blackmen of San Bernardino, Local 909 Carpenters Union, Cal Recycle, IV Juice Bar, SB, Girl Scout Troop 115 & Troop 5574 and LaToya Berthil together we are cultivating healthy communities. Thank you ALL for sharing love and light.

Website: www.CaramelConnections.org

Instagram: @soulfoodbeolas

Linkedin: linkedin/elizabethmcswain

Facebook: facebook.com/elizabeth.p.mcswain

Yelp: soulfoodbeolas.com

Youtube: https://www.sbsun.com/2017/10/16/elizabeth-mcswain-serves-up-physical-fitness-and-healthy-cooking-to-kids/

Other: Dec2021 Spectrum News1 – Elizabeth McSwain Featured as a So Cal Community Hero http://specne.ws/ehvxQj