WENDELL - St. Eugene Catholic Church started a community garden just last spring, but plans are already in the works to essentially double the amount of land available to grow food.

Garden coordinator Maggie Castor said the 150 x 50 piece of land - which not only serves church members, but anyone who can make use of the free vegetables - has worked so well her church has decided to lease a number of smaller plots so families can take a more active approach to growing their own food.

Starting this fall, the church will lease 20 10 x 110 plots for just $10 a year, and "we will provide the seedlings," Castor said. The seedlings are donated to the church by Grow and Share, a Zebulon nonprofit founded to decrease hunger by promoting gardening and food giveaways.

St. Eugene's goal is to "help people become empowered to feed themselves and grow their own food," Castor said.

The church's existing garden is located next to the Lion's Club in Wendell, Castor said. The new plots will be available for families to start planting in August, and will be leased on a first-come, first-served basis.

The project can only grow from there, Castor thinks.Unemployment and underemployment in Wake County are still high, and thousands need help with food each day.

"This is a farming community. We can lease more land," Castor said. She envisions church fundraisers to pay farmers for the use of their land, but she is equally sure she can find sponsors and donors eager to help. "I'm not too worried about that," she said.

Castor believes community gardens, a growing trend in North Carolina, are perfectly suited for church and faith-based ministries.

Her church already partners with the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, which has offered to hold gardening classes for children and adults this fall, and "eventually we hope to do year round (classes)" on topics such as nutrition, and using home-grown produce in the kitchen.

Castor is also talking to representatives from other churches in Wendell, hoping to secure their involvement. "We're excited to do more," she said.