As we prepare for the exciting next steps of the Grace Garden (read here for more information), we are encouraging those interested in helping to join the efforts of Westfield’s Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR) program. Our biggest need is wo/man power! Come out to help us weed, plant, and maintain PAR’s community garden spaces. Contact Sara Sterley for more information. In addition, we have the following needs:

  • Shovels, rakes, and other garden tools that could be left at the gardens for any volunteer’s use
  • Netting and stakes to be used for the climbing plants (contact us for specifics)
  • Individuals who are willing to write up garden resources for the garden volunteers and the larger Grace community. We want to provide good food, but we also want to serve the Grace community by encouraging creation care and providing them with as many resources as possible to start their own gardens or just become more aware of God’s creation around them.
  • Individual/s willing to collect coffee grounds from local Starbucks and other restaurants willing to donate their used coffee grounds that will be used for compost out at the garden.
  • Individuals willing to donate excess produce from their own gardens or to plant specific “rows for the hungry” in our community. Ameriana Bank in Westfield is a drop-off point for your produce – the bank employees see to it that the produce is delivered to local food banks. If the bank is not a convenient drop off point, PAR volunteers are asked to drop off at one of the following local food banks: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Open Doors, and St. Maria Goretti. We are hoping to have the capabilities to collect fresh food at Grace in the near future, so we will keep you posted.

If you have other ideas to make the garden more fruitful, please let us know!