There is no better way to serve a community than to feed it.

That is the hope of members of West End Neighborhood Watch and Fountain Chapel AME church as they plant a community garden.

Representatives of the Watch and church planted vegetables Wednesday and Thursday on a large garden spot behind the church, which is located off 12th Street South in Clanton.

Seeds were provided by Cawaco and a partnership between Fountain Chapel and fellow AME churches.

The Rev. Cynthia McDaniel is pastor of Fountain Chapel AME.

Edward Benson and Marlon Harton broke up the ground for the garden.

The spot being used is owned by the church. Local residents Jones Pelham and Ellis McDaniel formerly maintained a garden at the site but not in several years, and Pelham and McDaniel have since passed away.

Pelham’s and McDaniel’s vegetables were also shared by the community.

The garden will include corn, okra, squash, cucumber, zucchini, peas, cabbage, peppers, onions and tomatoes.

Organizers said certain days, probably Saturdays, will be designated for residents to come pick their own produce or take home baskets of vegetables already picked.

Distributing the produce will be the easy part. Before then, however, there is much work to be done—by a few people.

Even after the planting, the garden will require hoeing and other maintenance.

Jessie Binion with West End Neighborhood Watch said she has an idea for bribing youth to help in the garden: a pizza party.

“I’m hoping the Lord is going to bless this because of the effort we are putting in,” she said.