Steward Spotlight: Laura Gatlin & Carondelet Food Patch

Stewards are volunteers who take the lead on caring for their local orchards. They are the backbone of The Giving Grove program. Thanks to their dedication, Giving Grove little orchards continue to help feed the hungry, improve the environment, and foster friendship and community.  As a thank you, we like to spotlight stewards who are doing some extraordinary things in their communities. 

Photos taken prior to COVID-19

The Giving Grove would like to introduce you to Laura Gatlin!  Laura is the steward of the Carondelet Food Patch little orchard in St. Louis, Missouri.  This food patch is a community orchard and garden.  Volunteers sustainably and inclusively lead it.  They believe that everyone should have access to fresh vegetables and produce.  The food grown in their patch is available to anyone in the community.

As a nurse and outdoors lover, Laura was inspired by many of the hungry neighbors in her community and felt compelled to do something about it.  With three food pantries (including one of her own) located in her neighborhood, a friend suggested that a Giving Grove orchard in partnership with Giving Grove affiliate Gateway Greening would be perfect for her community. “I thought about it for a while and decided that it was a good idea.  There are so many hungry people in my neighborhood, and it can be difficult to get ahold of fresh fruits and veggies.”

The orchard was planted in 2019 and will not be ready for harvest for another two years, but already it is making an impact in her community. “It's not an empty field anymore filled with junk trees. It's a space where people can walk through the trees, learn about them, harvest from them, and go home and make something. And pulling weeds is great stress relief.”

“[I’m inspired when I think] about the volunteers and people who made this dream a reality. It takes a special person to invest time and money in an idea like this. It takes years of hard work to get a harvest. But once the trees are growing good and producing, it will be there for the community for a hundred years.”

Laura, you are that special person, and we are forever thankful to you for bringing a little orchard into your community and allowing us to be a part of your beautiful mission!