Church Asks Portion of Local Gardens for Food Bank

Post a Comment » Written on March 23rd, 2009     
Filed under: News
PRINCETON, MN (March 23, 2009) – Karmel Covenant Church is sowing the seed of an idea they hope will fall on good soil across the country.

The church is asking members and others to give at least 10 percent of what they grow in their gardens to the local food bank. They have aptly named the project “Garden Givers.”

There is a great need for the food, says Pastor Alan Johnson. “Our food banks have been crying out for food for the last half year.”

Johnson hopes churches and civic groups will consider doing the same thing in their neighborhoods, no matter whether they are located in rural, suburban, or urban areas.

Johnson says the project will greatly help food pantries at relatively little cost to gardeners, including labor. “Giving 10 percent of our orchards and gardens doesn’t make the work a lot more difficult.”

People can hardly wait to get started, says Johnson. “Everywhere we turn, we are getting positive response.” That response is coming from directors of food banks who are looking forward to the opportunity to give away fresh food.

Bringing home-grown produce to the food banks also will feel more rewarding than bringing only canned goods, Johnson says.

The church has invited the community to its Easter service, when it will hand out a seed that attendees can plant and take home with them.

The church tries to take advantage of its setting in a rural area, says Johnson. It has held a Christmas Eve service in a neighbor’s barn and also held a fall apple fest.

For more information, visit the Garden Givers website. Although the website has the name of the church at the top, there are no links to the church because Johnson says the ministry is not about promoting the congregation.

“Great things can happen when we don’t worry about who gets the credit,” Johnson says.

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