A Ministry of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Woodlawn
Mission: To touch the earth, build bonds of trust among neighbors, and provision fresh food for our regional partners at Christ Church Riverdale Food Pantry.
As 2026 is our inaugural year, we have significant work to be done to get Growing Good fully operating and productive as a garden and as a community. We appreciate your patience and active participation as we build together. We will hold several public Work Day events, including our Big Dig ground breaking on March 28th that will be open registration for anyone who want to help out.
Complete this form for information on upcoming planning sessions, Work Days (open to the public), membership, and ways to support this program.
2026 Garden Membership & Stewardship
All members will receive a communal share of the food we grow, and a portion of what we grow will be donated to CCR’s food pantry, along with non-perishable goods collected at St. Stephen’s Thrift Shop for donation.
As we establish the community garden this year, we will be focused on building out our communal plots which will be accessible to all garden members. There will be no individual garden plots available in this first year of garden operations. Returning members in good standing in future seasons will be given priority access to individual plots.
Stewardship Tiers (Sliding Scale)
We believe that financial status should never be a barrier to community. Please select the annual stewardship tier that best reflects your current household income and family size. Funds go directly toward immediate capital expenses (plumbing, electricity, sheds, garden beds), seeds, tools, and St. Stephen’s staff management of Growing Good.
| Membership Tier | Annual Contribution | The Shared Benefit |
| Community Tier | $0 | Universal Access: All members receive a “Growing Good” reusable shopping bag, access to all horticultural workshops, and an equal share of the Member Harvest. |
| Sustaining Tier | $100 – $250 | Universal Access: (Same as above) + Your contribution helps us offset the initial capital improvements, cover the shared cost of organic soil, native seeds, and infrastructure maintenance. |
| Steward Tier | $500 | Universal Access: (Same as above) +Your contribution directly funds the staff management of Growing Good and the Thrift Shop Voucher Program, providing clothing to neighbors in need. |
Garden Directors: Oversight is led by Ai Hirashiki, Thrift Shop & Volunteer Coordinator, who has 20+ years in nonprofit program and project management with expertise in urban farming education. Technical execution is managed by Duncan Himmelman, Ph.D., a Woodlawn resident, horticulturalist, and NYBG instructor specializing in Soil Science. Duncan has spent the past year prepping the site and will oversee the soil health and plant selection.
The “Action Together” Agreement
In alignment with the Episcopal values of justice and hospitality, all members agree to:
- Shared Labor: Commit to at least 6 hours of garden work per month; primarily planting, weeding, or harvesting for the members’ communal shares and CCR food pantry, or to assist with garden administration and member coordination as part of their commitment.
- Shared Learning: Participate in at least one Bronx Green-Up or Rat Academy training session.
- Shared Dignity: Respect each other, the grounds of this 125-year-old campus, and support the Thrift Shop’s mission of providing clothing and household goods to those in need.
- Abide by Posted Garden Hours or scheduled Work Sessions: April 1-Oct 31. We will announce garden open hours in the near future. Please do not enter the garden at other times without express permission from a Garden Director or Church Leadership.
- Communication and Collaboration: All members agree to follow the assigned tasks for the week or day, and not to act without consulting a Garden Director. All members agree to log their activity and hours, preferably in Civic Champs.
English