Celebration of Ministry

Pop-up Pantry

Located in the heart of Brooklyn – at the “intersection of faith and culture,” the St. Ann's Pop-up Pantry addresses the immediate needs of food insecure neighbors by providing essential food items, while embracing the diverse backgrounds and cultures of their community. The pantry operates in the narthex of the church and outside the church doors, making a true visual representation of bringing the love of Christ “from pew to public square.”

Volunteers at the pantry range from local high school students to recent retirees, and the pantry relies on strong, generous relationships with local grocery stores, bakeries, and parishioners to keep their pantry stocked with nourishing produce, fresh bread, and shelf-stable groceries. The partnership the pantry has formed with nearby grocery store, Perelandra Natural Foods, supplies the pantry with a palette of fresh produce every week. This partnership model combats food insecurity, reduces food waste, and ensure that fresh, organic produce is accessible for all community members.

The Garden at St. Francis

The Garden at St. Francis cultivates the connection of soil and spirit and the reverence for God’s earth in order to bring healthy and nutritious food to their neighbors. They are committed to strengthening the local food system by offering fresh, local, organic produce to neighbors at prices below supermarket rates during their weekly, seasonal farm stand, and by donating year-round to local food pantries. The community is invited into the garden - to till the soil, meet their farmers, and interact with bees, chickens, and plants that make this bounty possible.

The team at St. Francis is also dedicated offering horticultural therapy through their partnership with Helen Keller Services for the Blind and other local organizations supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism.

The garden also raises bees, works to protect native pollinators and plant populations, and works to educate the community about the vital role of pollinators in our ecosystem.