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Connection
PRESBYTERIAN WORLD SERVICE & DEVELOPMENT
Growing Projects Ripe for Collaboration
presbyterian.ca
FALL 2024
PRESBYTERIAN
33
A team of volunteers from the St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church & Community Growing Project excited about working to end hunger. PHOTO CREDIT: SETH LAW
By Emma Clarke, PWS&D Communications
A “growing project” is a local initiative with an impact that goes beyond the individual community. Across Canada, growing projects are bringing people together to support those in need around the world.
Growing projects encourage groups of farmers and farm sup- porters to plant, tend and harvest a crop, sell it on the Canadian market, and then donate the pro- ceeds toward work to end hunger through Canadian Foodgrains Bank and its members. Many farmers donate a portion of their field, but another significant do- nation is the use of equipment and precious time during harvest season.
“For a small community, in a rural area, this is a way that we can make a difference,” shared the Rev. Sandra Franklin-Law, minister at St. Paul’s Presby- terian Church in Eckville, Alta. Since its founding in 1983, the St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church & Community Growing Project has been successful, sending in over $370,000 in the last 10 years alone to support those in need.
“When we can put in a field of crop, and send in a pretty hefty amount, it makes it feel like we’re part of the bigger church.”
Even those who are not farm- ers get involved: “I contribute by feeding the farmers and running information sessions to make sure that both the congregants of Eckville and the broader commu- nity understand what we’re do- ing,” comments Sandra’s daugh- ter, Abigail.
Despite worries about things like money to fund the project or what the weather will be like each year—sometimes grow- ing projects are harvested in snow—Sandra reflected, “The triumphs outweigh the struggles completely. At the end of the day, everybody rises above to get the work done. You stand there really proud in the field and think ‘this is a wow moment’.”
The dream for the growing pro- ject in Eckville is that it would be able to expand. “People some- times put us on their mission for a year, and that’s it.” Not only would consistent funding com- mitments help with this dream of growth, but there is also a practi- cal need: “We actually need peo- ple to help,” said Seth, the pro-
ject’s photographer.
The Presbyterian Church’s in-
volvement with the Grow Hope project in Saskatchewan and the Danforth Grow Hope project in Toronto are the first examples of a new trend. Jo Szostak from Saskatchewan explained, “At the Synod meeting in October 2022, when Guy talked about Grow Hope, it lit a spark in me. I was astonished at the 828 million peo- ple who are hungry in the world, and it was important to be able to participate in addressing the world hunger crisis.”
Jo’s curiosity led to the Synod of Saskatchewan becoming in- volved in a Grow Hope project that had previously had only Mennonite, Roman Catholic and Baptist involvement. Jo now or- ganizes the Synod’s involvement in the initiative.
Grow Hope projects aim to build bridges between urban and rural communities, offering op- portunities for urban churches to donate funds to support rural growing projects. Jo explains, “There are a number of different types of growing projects but this one is unique in that it involves both rural and urban folks work- ing together.”
Reflecting on the government matching available through Cana- dian Foodgrains Bank that allows funds raised to go even further, Jo exudes, “It is really exciting to be part of an initiative that can have such a significant impact.”
Jo is already looking forward to the next harvest, which she expects will surpass that of 2023, when they raised over $12,000. “So far in 2024, the Synod has received over $6,000 to as- sist farmers with inputs—that’s enough to fund more than 17 acres of crop.”
Just like her peers in the Eck- ville project, Jo would like to see more people—specifically Pres-
byterians—involved. “We haven’t yet received a donation of acres from farmers through the Presby- terian church, so that’s definitely a challenge. We have shared in the acres donated through other denominations. We are young yet, and as we grow, I hope it will become possible to involve farm- ers in the southern part of the province as well.”
“It is indeed heartwarming to know that we can help ease the hunger of those in the world who have very little food to eat.”
To learn how your congregation can get involved in a growing or Grow Hope project, contact us at [email protected].
Growing projects, like the one in Eckville, Alta., are making a difference around the world. PHOTO CREDIT: SETH LAW