Can mulching be a form of ministry? Yes, according to the Outreach Committee at Trinity Episcopal Church, a Concord-based parish with a long history of philanthropic support for hunger relief efforts— including the production of fresh, healthy food at Gaining Ground!

“Every time you volunteer, you’re grateful for what you have, the ability to help other people, and—at Gaining Ground—the opportunity to work with your hands, in the ground, doing something sustainable,” said Lee Daniel, who chairs the church’s Outreach Committee. 

So far this year, Lee and his fellow parishioners have invested $2,000 in the farm, and also brought a crew of 15 folks to volunteer on a special day of service. Yet the relationship between Gaining Ground and Trinity stretches back much farther—all the way to our founding! Since then, the church has contributed well over $21,000 toward our mission.

“From the beginning, we had someone out there who was involved,” Lee said. “Back then Gaining Ground was a small, grassroots kind of effort. You guys have evolved into quite a tremendous organization.”

THE ROOTS OF THE OUTREACH COMMITTEE

The Outreach Committee at Trinity Episcopal Church embraces local philanthropy and volunteerism as social ministry, addressing the issues of Hunger, Education, and Homelessness through contributions of time, talent, and treasure. 

Social ministry isn’t new at Trinity, but five years ago, the vestry set out to formalize their efforts, building a stronger reserve to support community service. They called it the Joy Campaign—like a capital campaign, but for resources they ultimately planned to give away.

“We wanted to establish a self-sustaining fund to provide grants each year to worthy causes,” Lee said. “It’s very important for faith communities to pick up loose strings, so to speak, and look after the marginalized.”

The committee meets four or five times a year to decide where to invest their grant funds, with a priority on organizations that parishioners are involved with. They range from local food pantries to Habitat for Humanity, Household Goods, and even a girl’s school in Rwanda. 

In addition to volunteerism and grant-making, the committee promotes many opportunities for individuals and their families to pursue on their own, shared out in the weekly bulletin. 

“It’s incumbent on faith communities not only to give, but also to truly do things—not just in words, but in action,” Lee said. “Our parish is grateful to be out there, working to better the world.”

FEEDING THE HUNGRY

Hunger is an area of special interest for the Outreach Committee, and its philanthropy reflects that.

Not only do Lee and his peers make initial grants to a range of organizations that promote food security, but when the year is winding down, they divide the remaining funds among these teams. 

We are immensely grateful to receive this generous support, alongside some of our longtime partners, Open Table and the Bedford Food Pantry!

“It’s a cool synergy,” Lee said. “Your organizations are working together to address complex issues, and it all fits right in together.”

As the need for hunger relief persists in the region, Lee said he hopes for more interfaith efforts to nourish the community—and for more families to get involved with the Trinity Episcopal Outreach Committee. 

“I always think of myself as being the young guy, but I’m 70,” he said. “We are looking for the next generation of leadership. That’s why I was so happy to see two families at our Gaining Ground volunteer sessions. And the kids weren’t asking, ‘When are we gonna go?’ They were having so much fun their parents had to pull them away to go to their soccer game.”

Would your church or community group like to get involved with Gaining Ground? Learn more at gainingground.org/volunteer.