Welcome to the Care for Creation and Monastery Community Garden Webpage!
The Care for Creation Initiative (C4C) and Monastery Community Gardens have expanded the amount of land cultivated for food donations in 2014 and are building more toward the future. After distributing 3,500 lbs. of produce last year to various food shelves, soup kitchens and needy persons in our area, we are hoping to double that amount this year. Under the guidance of Jim Yeager, who was named a "volunteer of the year" in 2013 by The Altoona Mirror for his leadership, eight 30 x 30 plots are ripening with cabbage, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, peppers, squash and more.
In May we received a $2,500 gift of equipment and plants from Home Depot along with two work days from local staff for much of the initial planting. We subsequently received a grant of $10,500 from United Way of Blair County to support our program to feed those locally in need. Also, the high tunnel for which we received funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service is nearly completed, thanks to the generosity of Rich Kerr, president of Kerr Landscaping in Altoona. This will enable us to grow year-round and engage new volunteers in the winter.
The Care for Creation Project was started by the Franciscan Friars, T.O.R., Province of the Immaculate Conception in 2009 as a concrete response to the signs of the times concerning the environmental crisis. The project aims to spread the vision of St. Francis of Assisi who regarded all creatures as sister and brother by sharing our land and spiritual heritage with the larger community. To this end, the Friars have opened the beautiful property of St. Bernardine's Monastery to community gardening and “care for creation” programming that focuses on sustainability and cultivating a spirituality inclusive of creation. In 2011 the friars assumed the responsibility for the Community Gardens and have enjoyed the opportunities to build community, share with the less fortunate and have fun.
