Rhode Island parishioners farm parish property to feed poor

Published: 2004-07-16

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (CNS) -- Volunteers at two parishes in northern Rhode Island, St. Philip's in Greenville and St. John Vianney in Cumberland, are farming a portion of the parishes' property to help feed the poor in the state. This is the second year that St. John Vianney Parish has participated in the Rhode Island Community Farms program; it is the first year for St. Philip's. The program, which started four years ago, donated 42,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables last year to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank through a network of gardens throughout the state that are maintained by volunteers with the assistance of master gardeners from the University of Rhode Island. Father Raymond Theroux, pastor of St. John Vianney, said the parish's 6,000-square-foot garden produced about 4,000 pounds of vegetables last year for the local food bank. "Gardening is much more work than I realized," the priest added, but he credits the many volunteers from the parish and from the general community for making the garden such a success.

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