Scotch plains teens plant church garden to grow food for families in need

Scotch Plains teens plant church garden to grow food for families in need

Posted by
1 min read
July 18, 2025
A group of Scotch Plains teens is growing vegetables at their church to support a local food pantry.

SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. — A group of teen boys from St. Bartholomew Church in Scotch Plains has turned part of the parish’s backyard into a vegetable garden aimed at feeding hungry local families.

The effort, led by members of The Sons of Thunder — the church’s ministry for boys in grades 8 through 12 — includes planting tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelon, and other crops in a 24-by-36-foot plot. The harvested produce will be donated to the St. Bartholomew Food Pantry, which serves residents in need in the local community.

“I am so proud of these young men for committing themselves to a project that will help so many people in need,” said Father Matthew Gonzalez, who co-leads the group.

The teens are responsible for maintaining the garden throughout the summer, including watering, weeding, and planting additional seeds as needed. The initiative marks a hands-on service project for The Sons of Thunder, a ministry Father Gonzalez launched last summer to help young men explore vocations and faith-based service.

The group, which currently includes 10 members, meets monthly for prayer, sports, and faith discussions, as well as for regular service activities and seminary visits.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss