Plant a Seed ~ Feed the Need

The plant a seed ~ feed the need community garden at St. Christopher Episcopal church is a donation garden providing fresh organic produce to the food pantry at Interfaith Caring Ministries in League City Texas. ICM currently provides grocery assistance to households within the Clear Creek Independent School District with individuals currently living at or below the poverty level. ICM provided a one-time grocery assistance provision to over 3,000 unduplicated households in 2010 to date. * The garden adopts the attitude of inclusion and invitation to the individuals it serves, creating a "hand up" opportunity rather than a "hand out" situation.

It is an eco- friendly project in that we are encouraging organic gardening practices and reducing the amount of organic material (lawn clippings, coffee grounds, kitchen vegetable scraps) that ends up in landfills by maintaining a compost pile that will be used to fertilize the plants.  We currently employ a low volume drip irrigation system to conserve water.

We have added a hoop house to allow for the cultivation and safekeeping of our seedlings.  4 compost bins have been constructed to allow for the recycling of organic matter, keeping it out of landfills and eliminating the need to purchase expensive soil amendments. 

The garden is funded through individual donations and corporate in kind donations as well as community development grants. Memorial gifting opportunities are also available including park benches, bed sponsorship, and tree plantings. The garden is open to all individuals and groups wishing to volunteer in this community outreach project. To date we have hosted area church youth groups, Girl and Boy Scout groups, environmental groups and individuals seeking community service hours.  This is truly a community outreach project that has surpassed its original scope. In addition to providing fresh produce to those in need, the garden has become an opportunity for education, and an example for Stewardship of our limited resources here on planet Earth. 

Please contact Ally Hardick at lmc@stchrischurch.org or the church office 281-332-5553 to learn about volunteer and memorial gifting opportunities.