In October, volunteers got together at St. Dunstan’s to assemble the raised garden beds that were purchased for next spring’s planting. The produce grown will go to support families and individuals through the SCHC food bank.
By Graham McCaffrey
Rector, St. Dunstan of Canterbury Anglican Church
At St. Dunstan of Canterbury, we’ve long known that our parish is full of gardeners. For years, conversations have quietly bloomed among us about how we might use the beautiful green space on the north side of our church building, that gentle slope kissed by the sun, to bless not only our own spirits but our wider community as well.
In 2024, those conversations took root in a new way when the Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCHC) approached us with an idea: what if we partnered together to create a community garden on our grounds, dedicated to growing fresh produce to support their local food bank? It was one of those invitations that seemed to arrive at just the right time, a seed ready for planting in soil that had long been prepared.
St. Dunstan’s has a long and proud history of supporting community and outreach initiatives, both financially and through volunteer effort. From food drives and supporting local shelters to our ongoing partnership with SCHC, our parish family has always sought to embody our faith through tangible acts of love. This project offers something new and earthy, a chance for us to quite literally get our hands dirty for the sake of others.
In October, the raised garden beds, purchased through the generous support of the CCRA, were assembled and prepared for next spring’s planting. The produce will go directly to support families and individuals through the SCHC food bank. Yet beyond the vegetables and herbs that will grow, we hope something deeper will take root: connection, belonging and shared purpose.
For us at St. Dunstan’s, this garden is more than just a patch of cultivated ground. It is a living sign of our calling as a church: to look beyond our own walls, to extend our hands in service, and to nurture life, both physical and spiritual, in the heart of our community.
We warmly invite our neighbours to join us in this growing work of love. Whether by volunteering in the garden, donating supplies or supporting SCHC’s food bank, you can help us feed both body and spirit, and together care for those most vulnerable among us. Great things grow from small beginnings, and we can’t wait to see what goodness will flourish here.