Garden Giving: An Act of Hope

Interfaith Garden tells a story of collaboration, compassion and care. This labor of love was born from a partnership between Congregation Beth Shalom (CBS) and St. Thomas More Newman Center Parish in Columbia.

The garden’s initial roots trace back to 2006, when CBS first established the garden as a servicelearning initiative for students. The concept was to harvest fresh fruits and vegetables and donate the bounty to The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri. Student volunteers served to maintain the garden and enjoy the satisfaction of purposeful work.

By 2009, the garden’s potential had outgrown its initial framework, prompting an invitation to the Newman Center to join the effort. Together, these faith communities expanded the vision, officially transforming the plot into the Interfaith Garden – a testament to the power of collaboration in addressing
complex social and economic challenges.

The Interfaith Garden thrives on the generosity of many hands. Volunteers come from diverse walks of life – scout troops, college students, schoolchildren, church congregants, synagogue members and anyone drawn to the idea of helping others while stewarding the earth.

The garden’s membership in the Community Garden Coalition has been significant, providing essential resources like fencing and raised beds. Grants from Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri have further boosted the garden’s success by funding equipment upgrades and more. These partnerships help reinforce the garden’s identity as a true community endeavor, supported by a collective drive to make a difference for others.

And many hands lead to plentiful harvests. The Interfaith Garden’s very first harvest yielded about 300 pounds of vegetables. Over the years, experience and an increase in volunteers have allowed the garden to achieve an average annual yield of 1,700 pounds.

From tomatoes and peppers to strawberries, sweet potatoes, radishes, okra and more - the wide variety
of crops grown reflects the garden’s coordinators' and volunteers' ambition and care. Garden Coordinator Susan DeMian says that future harvests will see more fruit, too; the garden's orchard is just beginning to
produce persimmons, apples and chestnuts.

The Interfaith Garden also fosters connections beyond its crops. Relationships grow among volunteers, faith groups and the community overall through their shared sense of unity.

In a world often divided by differences, the Interfaith Garden is a reminder of what is possible when we
come together. Here, the act of planting a seed becomes an act of hope and harmony. With every passing year, the garden fulfills its mission to feed the hungry, nurture the earth and bring a community closer together.

If you’re interested in sharing the bounty from your garden with neighbors, learn more about our Garden Giving Program at sharefoodbringhope.org/volunteer/garden-giving.