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Seeds of Hope in Bloom: One Garden at a Time

With support from a $1,650 Seeds of Hope grant from Kingscourt United Church Endowment Fund, Cummer Avenue United Church in North York, ON, created an accessible Giving Garden to grow fresh produce for local food programs while offering opportunities for people of all abilities to connect, learn, and build community. 

Using accessible containers and specially designed tables, the project introduced the congregation and surrounding community to container gardening. It also provided opportunities for people experiencing social isolation or mobility challenges to get outdoors, develop new skills, and build relationships. 

Growing food for the community

The garden brought together several community partners, including a local supplier of containers and soil, a carpenter who helped build accessible growing tables, and NeighbourLink North York, which received the garden’s produce for distribution through its two local Food Hubs.

The first growing season in 2025 was quite successful. Despite being a new garden, it produced a substantial harvest of carrots, beans, radishes, beets, spinach, and lettuce. Organizers and participants were encouraged to see the potential of container gardening to produce significant amounts of food in a small space.

The project also generated interest from churches looking to explore similar gardening initiatives.

Creating opportunities for connection

The garden became a resource for guests of the church’s weekly Drop Inn program, which supports people who are unhoused, precariously housed, or minimally employed through meals, showers, laundry, clothing, medical support, and community connections. 

For some guests, the garden offered a place to spend time outdoors, learn about growing food, and find a moment of calm. 

“We had a regular guest who was looking particularly agitated, anxious and upset. After chatting for a bit, I asked if he like strawberries and his face lit up!  Upon confirming that he did indeed love strawberries, I suggested we go out to the garden to search for some strawberries…which we did. Just that 10 minutes being surrounded by the growing plants, on his own, with lots of space and gentle breezes and the sounds of birds and insects buzzing…it was as if his emotional gage had re-set to calm and relaxed state, and he was much better to re-join the other member of the Drop Inn for lunch!” 

Learning and growing together 

The first year provided important learning opportunities. Congregational involvement was slower than anticipated, and maintaining the garden during intense summer heat demanded a lot of time from the project coordinator. 

This initial hands-on experience helped establish the time, skills, and resources needed to maintain the garden and prepare for greater volunteer involvement. 

In 2026, two congregation members were invited to join the garden team, sharing maintenance responsibilities and helping encourage others to participate. The longer-term goal is for the congregation to take ownership of the garden, with the coordinator providing ongoing support and guidance. 

Looking ahead 

The team is considering focusing on fewer, more productive vegetables to maximize the harvest for NeighbourLink North York’s Food Hubs. Plans also include encouraging other churches to establish accessible container gardens and organizing opportunities for the congregation to gather around the project. 

The partnership with NeighbourLink North York has continued to grow, leading to the church’s involvement in an after-school program and the creation of Heaven’s Kitchen through its outreach ministry. 

The Giving Garden has demonstrated how an accessible gardening project can support local food programs while creating opportunities for community participation, relationship-building, and well-being. 

Make a gift today to support community projects that grow connections, nurture belonging, and help build stronger communities.