It wasn't long before he was plowing land to create a garden where that collective heart of gold could grow into something special.
Now, a beautiful garden sits in the backyard of the church with the name, "No Greater Love."
The garden, now in its third summer of operation, has donated thousands of pounds of food to the Patrician Society in Norristown.
The Patrician Society's Assistant Director, Joe Maccolini has served his Norristown neighborhood for 50 years.
First, he was a school teacher.
Then, he joined the Patrician Society, where he served as its Executive Director until 2018.
As fate would have it, the former school building where he taught is the present-day home of the Patrician Society.
Retirement only lasted a few months for Maccolini, who promptly got back to work at the Patrician Society and now serves as its Assistant Director.
The Patrician Society hosts food distributions twice a week and relies on donations.
To learn more or get involved, visit their website.