Growing Project
What?
Each spring, Orchard Hill Church invites you to sponsor a “row of crops” by donating $25 or more to purchase seeds for planting. We have eighty acres (near Dike) designated for this project. Local farmers harvest these crops (many of them donate their time, equipment, gas, semis, etc), which allows this project to have a multiplying effect. The funds support both local & global mission partners!
Why?
In the past few years, we've been able to encourage our Mozambique partners with agricultural initiatives after a cyclone damaged their crops, partnered with Try Pie in the purchase of their food truck, supported Agricultural college students in Haiti as they get their degrees (which will impact the food sustainability in Haiti as they share their learnings), and help purchase a tractor of the Jamaican Deaf Village. (Read More below.) These are just a few of the ways this project is able to impact our community & the world.
How?
If you'd like to give to this project this year, here's how:
- Visit orchardhillchurch.org/give or click below.
- Select option you wish to give - Pushpay, Venmo, Apple Pay, or GPay
- Select the Giving Type as “Growing Project."
**You may also drop a check in the offering on a Sunday. Write "Growing Project" in the memo.
Thanks for being part of this mission!
Story of Impact: UCI Agriculture Scholarship Reciepents.
Through the Growing ProjectOrchard has already helped 5 students graduate as Agronomy students Current GRO scholars: Clarens DeRose (2 years), Chenet St. Aude (3 years), Djoudelsie Pierre (1 year)
Clarens DeRose: I am Clarens DeRose, a student in Agronomy at UCCC. I am in my 5th year of studies so I will be graduating in Dec. Thank you so much for your support. Without your help, I would not be able to make it this far. I have 4 brothers and sisters. My mom and dad are still alive, but they are unemployed during these difficult times. Thank you for the support you give me. I hope to use my knowledge and education to help others grow their own food in Haiti.
Chenet St. Aude: My name is Chenet in the Agronomy Department of UCCC. I am in my 4th year of study. Thank you so much for your help. My mom and dad have no way to provide the funds to send me to university. We have a family of 10 people. I have 4 brothers and 3 sisters. Thank you so much and I promise to use this education to help others and help my country change
Djoudelsie Pierre: Good morning to you all. I am a first year agronomy student. I was born in a family of 5. I am the 2nd daughter. My dad is a farmer with small gardens/fields. My mom sells small items on the street corners. But their combined income is not even enough to feed our family. I finished high school 3 years ago, but was just sitting there since it was impossible for my parents to send me to college. Ever since I was a little girl I have loved agriculture. It was always a passion for me to help my dad in the garden so that we would have food for our table. Because of your support, my dream to become an agriculturist will become a reality and I will be able to help many people and my parents grow more and better food. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Clarens DeRose Chenet St. Aude Djoudelsie Pierre
Story of Impact: Try Pie Truck
Try Pie is a teen employment program that uses work as a tool to engage and equip young women for their futures. Teens at Try Pie learn to manage their paychecks, prepare for future employment, understand their unique gifts, and recognize value in each other. Experiential learning in the kitchen is supported by time spent in a classroom setting with curriculum focusing on our four core values: Financial stewardship, job skill development, faith development and reconciling community. Through working at Try Pie, teens are holistically prepared to pursue their goals as confident, contributing members of their community.
Try Pie expanded their reach through a food truck in the last few years! The Growing Project contributed to this project!
Story of Impact: Jamaican Deaf Village
In the past, a portion of the Growing Project funds went to help purchase a tractor for the Jamaican Deaf Village (JDV) in Mandeville, Jamaica. The tractor landed at JDV in November of 2024 and JDV has been using it for plowing and field expansions.
BASIC (our college & young adult ministry) has traveled to Jamaica during spring break for over 12 years to build relationships & serve the long term missionaries, staff & students at Christian Caribbean Centre for the Deaf (CCCD). JDV is an extension of CCCD that provides housing and work for Deaf adults & kids of Jamaica. Today they employ around people through farming, construction, woodworking, sewing, catering, and cattle. Through both the work and the discipleship that happens on campus, God is moving in the lives of the Deaf. Throughout the years, BASIC has served at CCCD at both the Kingston & Knockpatrick campuses, while also visiting the JDC campus multiple times.
In March 2026 (see picture below), the BASIC team had the privilege of visiting the JDV Campus and meeting Kimmarely,the driver of the tractor! Ashley, one of the missionaries at JDV, shared this:
With this tractor, we are able to efficiently plow fields, clear brush, transport machinery, and more. We use this tractor everyday. It has significantly increased our productivity on the farm, which then opens the door to more production and more business. Last year, JDV employees had the opportunity to become tractor certified. This helps us to take care of the tractor well, and also have employable skills on our resume. We are so blessed to see people support JDV efforts in ways like this. God surely has blessed us!
