MENU

Jennifer Marston Poore - Women's History Month

March 07, 2022 | By: Renata O'Donnell Photography

Today, for the 7th day of the Women's History Month project, we are celebrating this beautiful, strong and phenomenal woman

Meet Jennifer Marston Poore, 51, wife, mother of two, teacher, writer and the owner of Bring The Salad Publishing LLC.
Jennifer Marston Poore was born in Oil City, PA.  She spent the1970’s nearby in a the little college town, Clarion.  Jen’s father was a speech professor at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.  While living in PA, Jen has fond memories of watching the Pittsburgh Steelers win 4 superbowls.  She is a huge Steelers fan to this day.
In 1983 Jen and her family moved to Saco, Maine to be closer to the rest of their extended family.  Jen attended Thornton Academy and graduated in 1989.  She went on to earn a degree in Elementary Education at the University of Maine at Farmington.   Right out of college Jen was hired by Old Orchard Beach school system to teach first grade.  While teaching, she additionally earned a Master’s Degree in Literacy Education from the University of Southern Maine.

In the year 2000, Jen met her wonderful husband, Nathan. In 2001 they eloped at a Sandals Resort on the Caribbean island of Antigua.  After getting married they built a house in Kennebunkport, Maine.  In 2003, after 10 years of teaching first grade, Jen left her first grade position to stay home with her newborn son, Marston.  Sixteen months later Jen gave birth to her daughter, Hope.  Needless to say, memories of early motherhood are pretty blurry for Jen!
When both kids were school age, Jen worked as a part time preschool teacher at Cocoons Day School in Kennebunk. During these years, she also developed a love for yoga and studied to become a certified yoga teacher.  Since becoming certified, Jen has taught 2 yoga classes of adult yoga each week.  Jen also greatly enjoyed teaching yoga to the children at Cocoons.
 
Three years ago Jen left teaching at the preschool to pursue writing and to start her own business, Bring The Salad Publishing LLC,  She began creating books, workbooks, and cards specifically geared to benefit the special needs population.  When Jen’s son Marston was  2 1/2  he was diagnosed with profound Autism.  This radically changed the trajectory of her life.  Since that time she has constantly drawn upon her background in education to help give Marston the best life possible. 
In 2020, during the pandemic lockdown, Jen discovered that a wonderful outlet for Marston was making art.  She started taking pictures of his colorful and unique artwork.  She uses the beautiful artwork to design note cards, greeting cards, valentines and tee shirts.  Jen also enjoys writing her blog about raising a child with special needs on her “Bring The Salad” Facebook page.  She feels that being a special needs parent can be incredibly lonely and isolating.  It is her hope that her blog shows other parents like her that they are not alone.
Jen is passionate about inclusion for everyone and has advocated for it both in her teaching career and as a mother.  She believes that no one has the right to limit what another human being might be capable of doing or enjoying.  The tagline for her business is “Set No Limits.”
 
What Jen values most is in life is connection with others.  Most importantly, her wonderful, loving family.  Jen has also been blessed with incredible friendships with former co-workers, students and their families.
Jen’s advice for other women is to “honor your ancestors with your actions.”  She often reflects upon the lives of the women that came before her and the difficulties they faced just to survive.  She recognizes that being alive during this era, although still far from perfect for women, puts her in a place of privilege that her female ancestors did not have.  She cares deeply about not squandering this massive opportunity.  Jen’s big dream is that one day Bring The Salad will be a company big enough to hire people like her son.  She feels that everyone deserves to have places where they gain a sense of community and purpose.
Here are few more of Jennifer favorite quotes:
 
“Dum Spiro Spero.” (Latin) 
While I breathe, I hope.
 
“To know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
*****
You can follow Jen’s journey as an autism mom on her “Bring The Salad” Facebook page.
Her products are available on her website and ETSY.
ETSY:  BringTheSalad
 
*****
 
You can watch Jennifer's interview on 207 here:
 Thank you, Jen, for sharing your inspiring story with us! You are an amazing woman!
 
*****
 #WHM #womenshistorymonth #womenempowerment #womansupportingwomen #mainephotographer
Leave this field empty
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Submit

2 Comments

Mar 9, 2022, 8:39:02 PM

Elizabeth Cabot - Beautifully written in honor of a beautiful woman!. I have often said I want to be her when I grow up. The honesty and kindness that she puts out to others is awesome. Now with the blog she shares her experiences in order to help others.Congrats Jen!

Mar 8, 2022, 6:17:11 AM

Pamela Gillingham - Jen, you are an amazing, wonderful, beautiful woman and an inspiration to us all!

Previous Post Next Post

Archive

Go
CLOSE