AUGUST 4 • 2022 | 27

ically increases the size of 
Giving Gardens. 
“We had about 5,000 square 
feet on the south side that 
were in production, and we 
added even more land this 
year, another 2,000 square feet 
on that side as well,” Gordon 
said. “Then the North Side 
that the playground is on is 
probably at least two to three 
times that size. We’re just add-
ing in another 2,000 square 
feet of growing space on that 
side. So, we almost doubled 
our growing space this year.”
There’s an endless variety 
of crops grown at the church 
space, including potatoes, 
sweet and hot peppers, toma-
toes, okra, kale, collard greens, 
broccoli, cauliflower, brussels 
sprouts, cabbage, green beans, 
dill, parsley and cilantro.
Giving Gardens has con-
trol of the entire playground 
space but is only gardening in 
a small amount of space now. 

As things continue, they’ll 
expand. They also have plans 
for another area on the north 
side of the church that used to 
be a community garden. 
“It has been a pure pleasure 
and a privilege to partner 
with Yad Ezra in the Giving 
Gardens once again this year,” 
said Rev. Patrick Connell, 
Priest-in-Charge at Our Lady 
of La Salette. “Their diligent 
work in providing fresh pro-
duce for the area hungry in an 
environmentally friendly and 
sustainable way is certainly 
praise-worthy. Long may this 
relationship continue.” 
The expansion and partner-
ship mean a lot to Gordon.
“It’s a great opportunity for 
me to be able to give clients 
the things they’ve been asking 
for and actually have the space 
to produce it all,” he said. “I 
also think it’s great to have the 
interfaith connection. It’s love-
ly to interact with them and 

have a different way to look 
at religion as well because (we 
both) have ways of looking 
at agriculture and helping 
people. It’s great to see the 
amount of common ground 
we have with each other and 
the goals of what we want to 
do in that regard.”

The added farming space 
calls for additional needed 
helping hands. Volunteer 
opportunities are available at 
the church most Tuesday eve-
nings, 6-8 p.m. If interested, 
visit volunteer.yadezra.org for 
available times. 

Giving Gardens Manager Josh 
Gordon prepares some of the 
new garden space by tilling.

Supported through the generosity of The Jewish Fund and the D. Dan and Betty Kahn Family Foundation.

 
 
 
Need help 
taking care 
of a parent? 

☐ Call jhelp at 1-833-445-4357

☐ Visit jhelp.org

☐ Chat online with a staff 
member or schedule a 
 
call at jhelp.org

☐ Do all of the above
X

Q

We Have Answers.

