This article was written by Grace Mercurio of the Long Island Advance.
The necessity of helping one’s neighbors and surrounding community is a foundational pillar of almost every religion. At St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, in West Bay Shore, the church has succeeded in its mission to serve the community through three outreach ministries: an organic victory garden, thrift store, and food pantry. These intertwined community outreach programs each fulfill a unique need of the greater Bay Shore community. Now, the church that has given so much to the community of Bay Shore is calling upon the community to help the church combat food insecurity.
St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church and South Shore University Hospital are holding a food drive on July 29 at the Bay Shore Stop & Shop. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the church and Northwell Health facility ask that nonperishable food items be brought to the Stop & Shop, located at 533 Montauk Highway.
All donations will go to the food pantry at St. Peter’s, to be redistributed to people facing food insecurity within the greater Bay Shore community.
Perhaps the most notable outreach ministry that St. Peter’s Church offers is the organic victory garden—a community farm in which members of the community and children with special needs can grow produce and learn about organic gardening. Parishioner Stephanie Campbell, the brainchild of the garden, crafted the concept of this victory garden in 2019 and proposed the idea to the Episcopal Ministries of Long Island, which gave a grant to St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church to fund the victory garden. Along with donations from parishioners and the money received from plot sales, the grant money continues to fund the victory garden.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a huge setback in the creation of the garden, as it was still in its very early stages. Yet, even during the pandemic, the garden became a haven for many. The victory garden functioned as an oasis for green-thumbed community members to garden and socialize while maintaining social distancing. In lieu of harmful pesticides, gardeners use only natural, organic planting methods, such as companion planting, in which certain plants are planted together to ward off insects.
Last year, the garden was able to donate 700 pounds of fresh produce to the St. Patrick soup kitchen in Bay Shore, as well as food pantries at St. Peter’s and Christ Episcopal Church, in Brentwood. Among this produce were zucchinis, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, squash, and much more.
“Food drives often give out a lot of processed foods, and with the garden, we get to ask, ‘Would you like some lettuce, or carrots, or radishes?’” shared Irene Ross. “As things come into season, we can offer more healthy options.”
The organic victory garden at St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church has been the perfect environment for students with special needs to learn how to garden in the sunshine, growing their own produce to donate to local food pantries. Special-needs students in the WOW kids program at Bay Shore High School attend community internships for a portion of their school day, where they volunteer at local businesses and community programs. WOW kids have volunteered at the victory garden for the past three years, aiding the whole process from mulching and seeding, to harvesting vegetables, and witnessing the impact that the garden has on several food pantries in the area.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for them to work outside in a positive and purposeful environment,” shared teacher Megan Jensen, who leads the WOW kids program. “And they love it. Whenever they leave, they can’t wait to go back.”
In addition to the WOW kids, St. Peter’s offers free garden plots for any faith-based or local agencies, including free plots for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Plots can be purchased at a rate of $100 for a 10-by-20 plot and $200 for a 20-by-20 plot. To purchase a plot or learn about volunteering, contact St. Peter’s Episcopal Church by calling (631) 665-0051 ext. 157.
The outreach ministries of St. Peter’s by-the-sea Episcopal Church extend far beyond the victory garden. St. Peter’s Thrift Shop, located at the front of the church, offers pre-loved goods at a bargain rate. Recent renovations to the thrift store have doubled the size of the space, providing more room for the wide variety of clothing, toys, household goods, and more. St. Peter’s Thrift Shop is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is accessible through the main entrance.
The St. Peter’s community just celebrated the one-year anniversary of the opening of The Pantry at St. Peter’s, yet another community outreach program the church offers. The pantry is a member of Long Island Cares-Harry Chapin Food Bank and is open for clients Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Both nonperishable goods and fresh produce from the victory garden are offered to those in need. The Pantry at St. Peter’s is consistently accepting nonperishable food donations, which can be placed in a bin marked “food donations” inside the church doors.
Through numerous outreach ministries, St. Peter’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church utilizes all its resources to give back to the Bay Shore community. On July 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bay Shore Stop & Shop, help the church continue its mission to combat food insecurity by donating nonperishable food items to the St. Peter’s and South Shore University Hospital food drive.