Meet the Founder
Sarah Askew
Founder, Community Builder & Regenerative Living Advocate
"The road ahead isn't always easy — but no one has to walk it alone. Together, as a community, we find strength in the hard seasons, lift each other through the darker days, and remind one another why this work matters. This is what it means to shift the paradigm: not just changing what we eat or how we grow, but choosing a different way of being — together.
A Life Built on Community
Sarah Askew has spent over 20 years building communities in some of the world's most remote and remarkable places — from the jungles of the Yucatán to the rugged landscapes of Northern Ontario. Her work has always been rooted in one belief: that people thrive when they are connected to each other, to the land, and to a shared purpose.
As a single mother who has navigated her own hard seasons, Sarah understands firsthand what it means to need a community that shows up. That lived experience is the heartbeat behind everything she builds — and the reason she refuses to stop.
Her journey into social enterprise began long before Paradigm Shift Movement. In Ontario, she founded Mensadora, a Period Poverty Program dedicated to ensuring that no person would miss school, work, or dignity due to lack of access to menstrual products.
What Sarah Believes
- "We all have the same mission in life: find what you love and give it to the world."
- "My success comes from your success."
- "Community is not a place — it is a practice."
A Legacy of Social Enterprise
Mensadora
A Period Poverty Program founded in Ontario, Canada. Mensadora was sold in over 47 stores province-wide and operated a one-for-one donation program — for every product sold, one was donated to someone in need. The program spearheaded initiatives to bring period care to local community spaces, was licensed by Health Canada, and Sarah served as a Speaker for the United Nations' Sustainability Goals.
Community Building in the Yucatán
Deep roots in community development in the jungles of the Yucatán, including running a work-away and skills-share program that welcomed over 50 people from around the world to live and work on the farm. In exchange for helping the farm grow, participants gained real, hands-on experience in regenerative agriculture, sustainable living, and community building — a living model of the knowledge-exchange philosophy that still drives Sarah's work today.
Paradigm Shift Movement
Sarah's most personal and ambitious project yet — a regenerative community farm in Temiskaming Shores, Northern Ontario, built to create lasting food security and a thriving local ecosystem.
The Vision Ahead
Sarah's vision for Paradigm Shift Movement is bold and deeply practical: a community farm with greenhouses, geodomes, an art studio, a summer art camp, and educational classes — all anchored by a Seed to Plate food program that provides locally grown food to every family, regardless of income.
The long-term goal is a protected, community-owned food chain that works alongside local businesses, organizations, and farmers through a Grow a Row program — replacing the food bank model with something more dignified, more connected, and more sustainable.
Recognition & Interviews
Sarah's work has been recognized by community organizations and media. Watch and read more about her journey below.
Walk This Road Together
If Sarah's story resonates with you, we'd love to have you as part of this community. Whether you want to volunteer, donate, or simply learn more — the door is open.