Church gardens for the local poor

Many churches have small pieces of land, usually in lawn, that are not actively used but that must be managed at the church's expense. If a small percentage of such churches would plant low-maintenance vegetable gardens and fruit trees to provide fresh produce for their local emergency food providers it would be possible to maintain a consistent supply of nutrient-dense food for people in need. Some of those churches could move into hosting community gardens for local poor people and recent immigrants. Those parishes that have other resources, such as larger tracts of land, large pools of volunteers, or organizational capacity, could develop or assist land access and farmer training programs. In these ways this program can move beyond charity into development of sustainable local food systems that empower the poor and build the relational networks that are needed to escape poverty. I assist local churches with identifying resources, locating and connecting with emergency food suppliers in their communities, and designing and installing multifunctional, low-maintenance gardens and fruit trees.  In exchange for my assistance, these churches agree to give away their produce and to assist in the establishment of similar garden projects at other local churches. Currently, one church is participating and has had one very succesful growing season since the project's inception.  My intention is to build upon this success by starting at least one new project each year.