New Creation Baptist Church, located on the northwest corner of E. 48th St. and 15th Ave S. sponsors a community garden located atop a steep embankment facing 15th Ave. The garden logo, We Garden on 15th Avenue (The Garden) refers to an area that includes 10 large container beds, dozens of GroBags, galvanized metal tubs and one 6’ x 6’ greenhouse, all of which is not visible from the street level!

The Garden, sandwiched between two buildings with a walkway connecting them from the inside, provides fresh fruit and vegetables for people from diverse cultures who visit the Food Shelf located in the lower level of the Church. On any given Saturday you can meet people from as far away as Ecuador and as close as “down the street.”

While Minnesota Food Hubs do provide produce, “fresh from the garden” is the #1 choice of participants and it seems there is never enough! The need is particularly great for culturally familiar produce and herbs.

Rochelle (Shelly) Emmel is the lead garden volunteer who is joined by a team of volunteers that include Church members and neighbors with ocasional help from people who visit the Food Shelf. In the off season, these volunteers also help with the food shelf, recruiting volunteer interpreters and helping with registration and shopping. Members of the Garden team have built Partnerships with FRNNG, McRae Park and local businesses. In Spring of 2023 the team submitted a request to Tree Trust and received a donation of six fruit trees!

Volunteers are always welcome, whether it’s one time or a couple hours every week. We need your help and support. You can make a difference! You decide what tasks you can do and how much time you have to help. Contact: Gardenon15@gmail.com.