Children from the Toledo Padua Center and youth group members from Providence St. Patrick enjoy ice cream after working together in the Padua Center’s community garden. (Photo courtesy of Providence St. Patrick)

TOLEDO—On Wednesday afternoons in the summer, St. Patrick high school youth group members helped children at the Toledo Padua Center learn about where food comes from, says Christine Nelms, Providence St. Patrick Christian religious education coordinator.

Forming the Padua Potters Garden Club, the children worked together weeding, watering and harvesting the garden and participating in additional activities. One session focused on chickens because the Padua Center raises chickens in a coop in the old parking lot. The participants also visited the Lucas County Fair together.

“It was fun for the city kids to see our youth exhibiting their own animals at the fair,” Ms. Nelms says.

The Padua Center is an outreach of Toledo St. Martin de Porres Parish and is located in the former St. Anthony’s rectory on Nebraska Avenue in Toledo.