Mission Statement: At Solidarity Sandy Springs, we are dedicated to helping reduce the impact of food insecurity on individuals and families by providing access to fresh, nutritious food choices while creating opportunities for all community members to serve and build meaningful relationships.

Jennifer is a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty Peachtree Road. With 30+ years of experience in the Atlanta real estate market, Jennifer and her team have helped over 2800 buyers and sellers move in, out and all around the Metro Atlanta area. She has been with Keller Williams Realty since 1999 as one of the charter members of the first Sandy Springs office. She has been instrumental in opening 12 Keller Williams offices in Metro Atlanta and Birmingham, Alabama. 

Creating community is Jennifer’s life mission. She operates on the premise that to whom much is given much is expected. Actively seeking ways to lighten people’s load, improve their lives and connect people in ways to make a difference are her life’s joy. Jennifer currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Sandy Springs Chamber of Commerce, the Sandy Springs Civic Roundtable, the Agnes Scott Alumnae Steering Committee, the Atlanta Realtors Association Foundation, the Board of Directors for the Sandy Springs Arts Foundation and is a member of the Sandy Springs Society. Her previous non-profit work has been serving on the Board and the Chair of Every Woman Works. 

Jennifer is from a small town in Tennessee- Riceville, population 600. She came to Atlanta by way of Agnes Scott College. Over the span of her life, she has packed popsicles in an ice cream plant, worked in a gift shop, been a hostess and a cocktail waitress, a Girl Friday, an assistant, a statistician, a management trainee, a banker, an agent and a broker. 

On a personal note, Jennifer is married to a wonderful man, Tim. They have a son Jackson who is full into being a teenager. Her favorite things are tennis, traveling, reading and entertaining. She will always look for any way to celebrate! 

Andrea Cohen Settles is a dedicated community volunteer and seasoned professional in the commercial mortgage market with over 30 years of experience; passionate about making a positive impact in both the business world and the community where she lives. 

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Andrea is deeply committed to giving back to the Sandy Springs community which has been the foundation of her personal success. She is dedicated to empowering individuals and businesses with the knowledge they need to thrive.

Andrea believes in the power of community engagement and actively volunteers her time and skills to various local initiatives. She is the recipient of many volunteer awards and is a 2013 graduate of Leadership Sandy Springs and a past president of the organization. Andrea is the President of her neighborhood HOA, and actively supports both the Sandy Springs Police Benevolent Fund as board chair and as a member of the Sandy Springs Fire Corps. She dedicates much time to being a board member of Solidarity Sandy Springs and is currently the treasurer actively supporting the efforts of the pantry’s daily objective to reduce food insecurities.

Her dual commitment to the commercial mortgage market and community service has provided Andrea with a unique perspective on the symbiotic relationship between business and society. She believes that a thriving business environment can contribute to the well-being of the community, and conversely, a strong community can create a supportive backdrop for successful businesses. This belief has guided her efforts to bridge the gap between these two realms, creating a harmonious synergy that benefits everyone involved.

As an engaged community volunteer, Andrea has had the privilege of collaborating with diverse groups of people, each with their own aspirations and challenges. Through these interactions, she has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of education, collaboration, and collective action. Whether it's mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs or participating in local committees focused on sustainable development, Andrea is dedicated to fostering positive change and promoting inclusivity.

Her journey as a commercial mortgage expert and community volunteer has taught her the importance of adaptability, empathy, and continuous learning. 

Andrea lives in Sandy Springs with her husband Richard and has a daughter practicing Family Law and a son who is a CA mortgage broker. 

A native Mississippian, Janet was born and raised in McComb, located 110 miles north of New Orleans.  She proudly claims to be from both Mississippi and Louisiana due to the time she spent in New Orleans.

An accomplished French hornist, she played in the Mississippi Lions All State high school band for three years.  She matriculated to the University of Mississippi (Oxford) earning a music scholarship where she played in the University of Mississippi Marching Band and the Symphonic Orchestra.  She transferred to University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Health Related Professions, Department of Physical Therapy earning a BS and later a Masters of Educational Administration at Mississippi State University. While in Mississippi, she practiced physical therapy at Methodist Rehabilitation Center on the stroke/CVA service and established the cardiopulmonary service.  She taught as Associate Professor Physical Therapy for several years before transferring to GA.

She worked her entire professional career in Atlanta at Northside Hospital serving as Manager for Rehabilitation Services, Operation Improvement Specialist and Manager of Outpatient Radiation Oncology and Infusion.  Service volunteer activities here included serving on United Way, several offices in American Physical Therapy GA Chapter, Foundation for Physical Therapy, and being awarded as one of 6 recipients nationally of the Lucy Blair Service Award for outstanding community service.

After retirement, she looked for a meaningful manner to fill her time and discovered Solidarity Sandy Springs!  For the past two years, she has volunteered several hundred hours annually.  She is excited to join the Board and looks forward to expanding her role.

While not volunteering at the Pantry, she enjoys bicycling, boating, gardening, reading, and spending time at Lake Burton with family and friends.  She has served on her HOA board for 8 years.  Widowed after a 35-year marriage, she lives in Sandy Springs with her two pups.

Juli Paladino is one of our newest members of the Board but is no stranger to the Pantry. Juli has been “quietly” volunteering since the beginning of the pantry keeping our finances in check. Juli is a Senior Manager for Blazej Accounting and works with small businesses to keep their finances in order. Juli holds a B.A. in Fine Arts with a minor in Accounting from the College (now University) of Notre Dame of Maryland. 

Juli still considers herself a new Georgia resident after a job transfer in 2017 brought the family to the Atlanta area from the Washington DC area where Juli was born and raised and is looking forward to learning and seeing more of Georgia. Before moving down south, Juli and her husband, John, were Sponsor Parents for the U.S. Naval Academy for over 15 years. They were honored to be part of such a unique opportunity to help guide the Midshipmen through their 4 years by the bay on their way to becoming Officers in the U.S. Navy.

Juli and her family reside in Milton, GA along with their “small pony” AKA Newfoundland dog, Leo and their cat, Sully.

Jared has been a resident and member of the Sandy Springs business community for the last 20 years. He is the founder and Managing Principal of Canopy Real Estate Partners, a Sandy Springs based commercial real estate brokerage firm with a focus on industrial investment sales around the Southeast. Prior to commercial real estate, Jared spent 8 years as a business consultant for a large global consulting and outsourcing company, where he focused on providing corporate clients with operational strategies, generating annual fiscal savings and improving the customer experience. Throughout Jared’s career, he has insisted on being approachable and delivering results, ensuring that relationships are always at the forefront of every transaction.

Jared holds a BS in Finance and Information Technology Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology and is a proud 2018 graduate of Leadership Sandy Springs (now Leadership Perimeter). He currently resides in Sandy Springs, GA, with his wife, Nan, and their three children. Beyond his real estate ventures, Jared is deeply committed to serving his family, community, and the local church. Alongside his involvement with Solidarity Sandy Springs, he serves as an ambassador for Leadership Perimeter. Furthermore, Jared and his wife actively invest in the local foster community and are mentors to newly engaged couples at Buckhead Church. They are dedicated to making a positive impact across various facets of their lives, reflecting their values of commitment to service.