Carma Mohler Grant Spotlight | Iowa United Methodist Foundation

Grace Garden – Ottumwa Grace Fellowship Church

August, 29 2025

As part of the Carma Mohler Grant program, IUMF staff members have the opportunity to visit grant recipients and see firsthand the positive, life-giving work being done across our communities. This summer, we were welcomed to Grace Garden, a growing ministry of Grace Fellowship Church in Ottumwa and a 2024 recipient of the Carma Mohler Grant. What we found was a vibrant, volunteer-led operation committed to nourishing both body and spirit in a community facing food insecurity.

Box of harvested vegetables including squash, tomatoes, peppers and onions.

Vegetables harvested from Grace Garden in August 2025

Grace Garden began five years ago with a simple, powerful goal: to provide 200 pounds of fresh produce to Ottumwa residents in need. What happened instead was something much larger. In their very first season, the garden yielded over 2,400 pounds of fruits and vegetables — all grown, harvested, and distributed by church and community volunteers. By year three, production had soared to 6,738 pounds. And this year, the garden has already surpassed that amount, with more vegetables still to be harvested.

Image shows a gravity-fed tank that feeds the garden's drip irrigation system.

This gravity-fed tank is part of Grace Garden’s efficient irrigation system.

Located on the grounds of the church, the 10,000-square-foot garden has evolved into a finely tuned operation. Grace Garden has installed a water-efficient drip irrigation system powered by gravity-fed tanks — a system supported in part by their Carma Mohler Grant. The funds helped cover essential supplies like drip tape and manifolds, keeping the garden functioning at its best throughout the growing season.

The produce grown in Grace Garden goes directly into the hands of those who need it most. The Lord’s Cupboard Food Pantry — which serves hundreds of families monthly — has been a major recipient of the harvest, along with 13 other food pantries throughout the Ottumwa community. Thanks to Grace Garden, families visiting the pantries throughout the summer were able to take home fresh tomatoes, peppers, green beans, and cucumbers — items not always available through traditional food sources. As one garden partner noted, “Food insecurity is a growing issue in Ottumwa, and we are blessed to have Grace Garden as a partner in trying to meet those needs.”

Image shows gardeners picking green beans in Grace Garden with flowers in the foreground.

Foundation staff members joined some of Grace Garden’s regular harvesters to pick green beans in August 2025.

What impressed us most during our visit wasn’t just the yield or the irrigation system — it was the heart behind it all. The garden is stewarded by a dedicated group of volunteers, with 10–12 showing up regularly each week to plant, tend, and harvest. Church members and community supporters have donated seeds, equipment, and time. Indian Hills Community College partners with the garden by starting seeds in their greenhouse — an arrangement that supplies plants to both the college and Grace Garden.

It’s no surprise that the garden has received glowing recommendations from community partners. As one supporter wrote, “They have vastly exceeded their initial goals because they are dedicated to this cause. I know they will multiply your investment with their efforts.”

At IUMF, we are honored to support organizations like Grace Garden through the Carma Mohler Grant program. You can support the work of Grace Garden directly by connecting with Grace Fellowship Church in Ottumwa, and you can support the Carma Mohler Grant Fund by visiting our website and clicking GIVE. Applications for Carma Mohler Grants are accepted annually from July 1 – October 1.