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 Seeds of Hope is a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, founded in 2013 by the Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno by establishing a diocesan food policy in his Bishop's Address to Diocesan Convention:
Resolution regarding a Diocesan Policy on Food
Resolved, that the One Hundred Eighteenth annual Meeting of the Church in the Diocese of Los Angeles create a Diocesan policy on the production, distribution, and commitment to food; and be it further
Resolved, that the churches, schools, and other institutions of the Diocese commit to fully use all of their resources, or offer them up to community partners for use, for food production and distribution to our neighbors in need; and be it further
​Resolved, that the churches, schools, and other institutions of the Diocese commit to refrain from serving or distributing food or beverages with little or no nutritional value that contribute to obesity and poor health.  

Our Theology​

I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”  ... "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” -- Matthew 25:35-40

Seeds of Hope is faith in action. 
It is good, but it is not enough, to be mindful, thoughtful, and prayerful about these things. If we have the personal and/or collective capacity to do something meaningful to help, then we must. 
In our work, we look to create, promote, and sustain urban farms, food recovery, gardens, and garden-based programs throughout the Diocese of Los Angeles to nurture the physical as well as spiritual wellness of individuals and communities.  We focus on a diocese-wide approach to food production, distribution, and preparation, in so doing, we are able to benefit the hungry and undernourished in our churches and within our broader communities. ​

Our Philosophy

Need + Capacity = Responsibility

• Can the church solve these problems in our communities? No.
• Does the church have a responsibility to do something? Yes.
• If there is a need in our community that we have the capacity to meet, then we also have the responsibility to do something about it.
• Our capacity is multiplied when it is offered to the community in collaboration with others who have complimentary capacities. 
• Seeds of Hope seeks to foster meaningful collaborations among the congregations of the Diocese as well as between the Diocese and other organizations seeking to serve the same needs in the same communities where we have a presence.

Seeds of Hope finds its call to action in our Baptismal Covenant.

1. Strive for justice and peace among all people
   Food Justice = universal, affordable access to basic nutrition
2. Seek and serve Christ in all persons
   Matthew 25:35 “I was hungry and you gave me food”
3. Love your neighbor as yourself 
   Luke 10:37 “The one who showed him mercy”
4. Respect the dignity of every human being
   Seeds of Hope sees those we serve as “neighbor” rather than “the least of these.”​

If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." -- James 2:15-17​

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’ But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’" -- Luke 10:25-37