Fr. Tom Dugan, CSB Assists with Urban Beekeeping Project

An urban beekeeping project in Rochester, New York supports women in poverty and protects the local bee population. The Sisters of St. Joseph in Rochester, New York learned of the dire need for bees from urban beekeepers and founders of Sweet Beez, and wanted to help. Precut hives were ordered online and assembled by Father Tom Dugan, CSB and painted by Sister Janet Connorton, SSJ so the bees can recognize their hives by smell and sight.

Guests of St. Joseph’s Northside, a Sisters of St. Joseph ministry that aids women who live in poverty, are employed to jar the honey from these hives to bring some stability into their lives. The honey is labelled Bee Blessed.

Bees are vital to the earth’s ecosystem as many animals rely on bees to pollinate their food sources. Decreasing bee populations will also cause the production of food crops to decrease because bee pollination is necessary for the growth of several important crops.