Our purpose is to...Change the Island’s visual environment and community character instigated by Bishop Dale White’s vision to serve the least of Jesus’ brothers and sisters by transforming Calvary UMC’s lawn into a prophetic sign-act supported by the Island’s three United Methodist churches. Sign-acts are nonverbal forms of communication whose purpose is to have a persuasive impact upon our neighbors.  Bishop White’s sign-act reveals to Island neighbors just how they too can createLivable Landscape by transforming unproductive yards into active gardens and improve Social Well-being through neighbors helping neighbors to build self-supporting communities on our Island.After a mission-oriented sermon in 2007, Linda Wood from the Portsmouth UMC expressed an interest in gardening... and was promptly connected with Bishop White. Members from Portsmouth, Calvary and St. Paul’s UMC met over the winter to jointly develop this initiative that provides local produce for food pantries, soup kitchens and Islanders in need. The initial 2008 garden was 3100 s.f. and produced 500 pounds of produce. In 2009 the garden doubled in size and harvest, and the growth continued to the point where today’s garden has over 17,000 s.f. producing 24 types of vegetables plus an array of flowers. With the help of local philanthropies, annual production was increased by adding a water well and three greenhouses that continue to grow vegetables throughout the winter months. Christ himself tends this garden and is witnessed in the hands and feet of 227 volunteers from multiple faith communities, and communities as diverse as elementary schools, Child and Family Services, Salve Regina University, Embrace Home Loans, and Looking Upward.Vegetables are harvested weekly and distributed from June through March to Martin Luther King Center’s Food 2 Friends mobile program, and distributed directly to 1751 Island neighbors through free Farm Stands located at each of the three United Methodist Churches. Focusing on Island nursing home patients that receive no visitors, fresh flowers are cut, arranged, and delivered weekly. Though not finished yet, the 2016/2017 season has already harvested, bagged, and distributed 8,406 lbs. of vegetables and 237 vases of flowers. Entering its 10th year of operation, this mission continues to serve the Island’s marginalized populations. The garden is sustained annually through volunteers and financial support from Portsmouth UMC, Calvary UMC, St. Paul’s UMC, and many individual Islanders. Since 2008, the garden’s production capacity has grown 1600% through generous grants from Aquidneck Land Trust, Bank Newport, vanBeuren Charitable Trust, North Family Trust, John Clarke Trust, and the Middletown Garden Club.