THE COMMUNITY GARDEN
AND ASSISI PRESERVE
JUSTICE, PEACE, AND INTEGRITY OF CREATION (JPIC)
COMMUNITY GARDEN
Our Community Garden is currently under the direction of the Immaculata School, but it originally was created by our Immaculate Conception parishioners as a Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) initiative as one of the many ways our parish sought to live out our Catholic and Franciscan values in caring for God’s creation. Our JPIC believes the community garden helps us embody these teaching in many ways, including:
Today, the Immaculata School continues this mission. The garden is located on our campus next to the San Damiano trailer. Katushka Olave, our Latino Pastoral Associate, and Dan Schwankel, who leads Immaculata School's efforts with our community garden, have been working together to provide opportunities for our JPIC parishioners to rejoin the efforts of the Immaculata School in caring for the garden.
- Increasing access to wholesome, homegrown food for those in need
- Building community through gardening
- Providing education and resources for growing food organically and sustainably
Today, the Immaculata School continues this mission. The garden is located on our campus next to the San Damiano trailer. Katushka Olave, our Latino Pastoral Associate, and Dan Schwankel, who leads Immaculata School's efforts with our community garden, have been working together to provide opportunities for our JPIC parishioners to rejoin the efforts of the Immaculata School in caring for the garden.
I have included below a picture slide show of our JPIC parishioners creating our community garden. Parishioners like you whose hard work and dedication made this possible. Our Immaculata School community and students continue this commitment today!
THE ASSISI PRESERVE
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Inspired by St. Francis and our Franciscan values of Caring for God’s Creation, the Immaculata Catholic School and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church have embarked on an ambitious, Care for Creation-centered project to lessen the impact of urban runoff from our campus into the local watershed. The goal has been to address water runoff from our parking lots and hard surfaces in ways that slow down the flow to prevent erosion and clean the water via plant-based retention ponds.
To this end, each plant, rock, mound, or indention we have constructed has been purposefully thought-out and placed by our partners Tributary Land Design and Build. Tributary reinforced our dry creek bed, which is the main artery for directing water flow, cleaned out the main rain garden at the bridge, and installed gorgeous birch trees and other plantings around two new retention lowlands.
The hope is to "transform the landscape into a dynamic, nature-based playground and outdoor learning space for Immaculata Catholic School, Immaculate Conception Church and our community. From outdoor classrooms, learning labs, expanded community gardens and more, people and animals alike will find an urban oasis for exploration and adventure."
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Renovation of The Assisi Preserve (Slide Show)
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Throughout our "Assisi Preserve" nature-based renovation, we will continue to assess areas for improvement and are grateful to everyone who is supportive of this project. We hope you are enjoying Assisi Preserve... our urban oasis here in downtown Durham.
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If you have questions regarding our various JPIC ministries, please contact me directly.
Kennith M. Chiha, Director of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church - 901-A West Chapel Hill Street, Durham, NC 27701
(919) 682-3449 Ext. 293 - [email protected]
If you have questions regarding our various JPIC ministries, please contact me directly.
Kennith M. Chiha, Director of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church - 901-A West Chapel Hill Street, Durham, NC 27701
(919) 682-3449 Ext. 293 - [email protected]