BALTIMORE — A couple in Cherry Hill is using their healthy food options to pour positive energy back into their community.
RICH Juice Bar, founded by Michael and Danielle Battle, was created as an extension of their RICH ("Raised in Cherry Hill" or "Restoring Inner City Hope") a non-profit aimed at helping transform the community by mentoring and giving young men and women an introduction into the workforce.
They learn how to run the business while the battles teach and guide them along the way.
"We have to be proactive," Michael said. "We have to make a legal dollar make sense before an illegal dollar makes sense."
Michael, a Cherry Hill native, is talking about the dangers that await young, impressionable kids with idle hands, and they're trying to use their program to make a big impact on as many of the youth as possible.
The other big part of this mission is to get more people in Cherry Hill to eat healthy and drink healthier.
"We’re in a food desert here in Cherry Hill," Michael said. "There’s no grocery stores. Nowhere to get fresh fruits and vegetables."
It's one thing to get fresh produce in front of people, but it's a whole different challenge to get them to become faithful customers and latch on to a healthier lifestyle.
The key for them is to make sure healthy food also tastes good.
"You want your community to love the good stuff, and watching them love the good stuff really makes those long nights in the juice bar worth it," Danielle said.
Michael has seen firsthand how a change in your diet can save your life.
"I no longer have high blood pressure, and that comes from juicing and changing my diet," Michael said. "My wife encouraged me a lot; my wife loves on me, she’s my biggest support system, my biggest cheerleader, my biggest fan, [and] with her I feel like I can accomplish anything in this world."
"No matter what we do, we want to make sure that everybody knows we are community first," Danielle said. "That's the whole point of this."
It's also helping them in their efforts to shape the narrative and change how people see the neighborhood.
"So many people want to highlight death in this community, and so we want to make sure you know that every juice that we pour, every smile, every handshake, every exchange of information is all about pouring life back into this community that is so vibrant."
While Michael couldn't pick out which one of their menu items is his favorite, Danielle tried to make a call. She chose the 'Hillside Green' juice.
Watch the video to see a taste test of some of their favorite flavors and hottest menu options, all of which are named after streets in Cherry Hill. As they grow, they want to take their program all over the country, but they always want people to remember where they came from.
"We went from 'Raised in Cherry Hill' to Restoring Inner City Hope, and now the RICH Juice Bar is Reinvesting in Community Health.'"
If you'd like to support RICH Juice Bar and learn more about the menu and the nonproffit, visit this link.
