“Every seed we plant and person we touch reflects God’s love”: She started a social enterprise and a sustainability movement
by Gracia Chiang // May 26, 2025, 10:01 am
Geraldine Tan (right) was in her 40s when she heard a clear call from God to leave the corporate world to do something different. Photo from The Green and Purple Movement's Facebook.
What do you get when you combine a deep concern for God’s world with an extraordinary love for God’s people?
For Geraldine Tan, 56, these twin passions moved her to birth The Green and Purple Movement in 2022.
But the journey that led to this began way back.
In 2015, Geraldine gave up her cushy job to start social enterprise My NoNNa’s, a business that provides employment for people with special needs.
Then an operations manager at US multinational company Gallup, she had a five-figure salary, an office with a sea view and a personal secretary.
Recounting the time that she felt a nudge from God to leave the corporate world to do something more meaningful, Geraldine revealed that it happened when she was celebrating her 45th birthday in Margaret River, Perth.
“It was as if a series of divine coincidences was orchestrating my journey.”
Enjoying a glass of red wine and watching a glorious sunset by the beach, she heard the Lord tell her in that serene moment: “It’s time!”
“In an instant, I understood its significance,” Geraldine told Salt&Light.
After all, it was a decision that was five years in the making.
Having suffered a stroke at the age of 40, Geraldine already sensed that she needed to change her career trajectory. But she struggled letting go of her job and the financial security that came with it.
However, this time was different. Geraldine knew that she had to “let go of my fishing nets and follow Him”.
God’s invisible hand
Over the next few months, Geraldine noticed “subtle signs that seemed to guide me along the way”.
For instance, after that moment on the beach, she found herself being invited to join community groups and gatherings centred around faith and service.
“Every time I was uncertain about the next step, I would stumble upon resources, Scriptures or conversations that re-affirmed the path I was on,” said Geraldine.
“It was as if a series of divine coincidences was orchestrating my journey. I encountered people who shared similar experiences, offered wisdom, or provided opportunities that felt too serendipitous to be mere chance.”
Starting with just six individuals with special needs, she not only taught them culinary skills, but also helped them to obtain food hygiene certification, paving the way for future employment opportunities.
Beginning with just one canteen stall at St Joseph’s Institution, My NoNNa’s later expanded to more outlets in other schools such as Nanyang Girls’ High School (pictured), serving hearty Italian cuisine.
“My NoNNa’s taught me that with the right support, people with special needs can flourish,” noted Geraldine.
“Over the years, I have witnessed some of these remarkable individuals transition into mainstream food and beverage roles (F&B), showcasing their capabilities and contributing positively to both the workforce and their communities.”
Soon, the Lord prompted the entrepreneur to take an even bigger leap.
“I felt a growing burden for creation care and for integrating people who are often excluded, like the elderly and differently abled, into something meaningful,” she said.
After much prayer and reflection, the idea of creating a movement began to take shape.
The mission? To care for God’s world and God’s people through sustainable agriculture and inclusive employment.
“As the Lord placed a deeper concern for environmental stewardship in my heart, I realised that the elderly also suffer from isolation and a lack of purpose.”
Faith, farming and friendship
Setting up a garden where both groups of people could work side by side, Geraldine envisioned that besides growing food, dignity could be cultivated and friendships could blossom too.
“Many are detail-oriented, enjoy routines and take great pride in their work. The garden’s rhythm is therapeutic for them,” she observed.
Her special staff handle a range of tasks, from planting and watering, to harvesting, composting and packaging. Under their tender care, fresh greens such as chye sim, kai lan, nai bai and even Perilla leaves have been grown.
“We also ensure they are matched with tasks that suit their abilities, and we provide mentorship and a supportive environment.”
Students visiting their community garden as part of an educational tour.
Today, the community garden grows around 200kg of vegetables every 25 days – and all this from just a small plot of 300sqm. But these vegetables are not for sale.
Instead, Geraldine designs horticultural and sustainability programmes that people can participate in. Corporations and organisations can also sign up for their learning journeys and workshops.
For example, freshly harvested vegetables are taken to corporate offices and distributed to staff on Fresh Harvest Day, or a Garden to Table Workshop has employees coming to their garden, harvesting alongside the elderly and people with special needs.
Participants can also bring home fresh vegetables that they harvested themselves.
Everything is grown using natural farming techniques that are soil based, and compost is created using food scraps that are brought to them by residents and volunteers.
“It’s important to keep the system circular and closed-loop, and be kind to the earth.”
As for her original venture, My NoNNa’s, Geraldine has plans to expand it.
“I’m actually preparing to scale it up to align with the mission of The Green and Purple Movement. For Garden to Table, you need the table!”
Over time, the edible garden will also be able to supply fresh produce to the F&B outlet.
Going beyond one garden
Grateful for how the grace of God has led her every step of the way and how doors have opened through people who shared in her vision, Geraldine said: “The journey has been full of unexpected turns and divine appointments.”
She also credits being “mentored by leaders in social enterprise, supported by church members, and guided by wise counsel from both the faith and farming communities”.
Starting from just one plot of land, Geraldine has helped to transform rooftops, underutilised land and even parts of old car parks into gardening space as part of The Green and Purple Movement.
The Green and Purple Movement started from just one community garden at Woodlands Rise.
“Often, it takes community engagement and partnerships with building owners and corporations, plus creativity to make the most of small or unconventional areas.”
Looking towards the future, Geraldine also hopes that she can replicate this model across more communities and schools in Singapore as well as overseas.
“Our goal is to see more inclusive green spaces thriving – run by and for the community. We envision training centres, mobile farms, and deeper partnerships with churches and businesses.”
“We believe creation is not just a resource but also a gift to be cared for.”
But for a movement that promotes sustainability, we asked Geraldine: Is what she is doing financially sustainable?
“Sustainability is always a balance. We are not fully profit-driven, but we strive to be financially viable.”
Pointing out that community and corporate support remains key in managing operational costs, she said: “Profit is modest, but our real return is social and environmental impact.”
Caring for our Father’s world
As one of the speakers at the upcoming Creation Care Conference 2025 (CCC25), Geraldine will be sharing her experience with the Church, touching on how the principles of social inclusion in sustainability can be applied within communities.
Running from 12 to 13 September 2025 and organised by non-profit Our Father’s World, CCC25 will be held at Faith Methodist Church and Queenstown Chinese Methodist Church.
“We deeply resonate with Our Father’s World commitment to environmental stewardship rooted in Christian faith,” said Geraldine.
“Like them, we believe creation is not just a resource but also a gift to be cared for. We also share a heart for justice – for people and the planet.”
“It’s about stewardship, justice and love in action.”
The verses from Isaiah 58 on loosing “the chains of injustice” and restoring “broken walls” speak deeply to the mission of The Green and Purple Movement.
Another verse that grounds their work is Psalm 24:1.“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
Sharing how she sees her work as caring for God’s creation, Geraldine explained: “We believe that every seed we plant and every person we touch reflects God’s love. By restoring ecosystems and giving dignity to the overlooked, we participate in His redemptive work.
“It’s about stewardship, justice and love in action.”
An example of a corporate programme organised by The Green and Purple Movement. They can also set up edible garden walls in offices.
Believing that everyone has a role to play in creation care, Geraldine added that those who are keen to support The Green and Purple Movement can do so through these ways:
- Individuals can volunteer with them, join their sustainability clubs, and advocate for sustainability and inclusivity.
- Corporations can sponsor their gardens, give them plots of space to create edible gardens, and support their Corporate Social Responsibility/Environmental, Social and Governance programmes.
- Churches can lead by example, using their resources and influence to care for creation.
Ultimately, Geraldine’s vision is to create communities where no space or person is left unused or unseen.
“We call it a ‘movement’ because it is not just a business or initiative – it is a call to action for individuals, churches, corporations and society to steward the earth and uplift the marginalised.”
Following the inaugural conference in 2022, Creation Care Conference 2025 (CCC25) will take place on September 12–13, 2025, jointly hosted by Faith Methodist Church and Queenstown Chinese Methodist Church.
The two-day conference aims to equip Christians with a theological understanding of creation care, empower them to love and care for creation, and connect like-minded believers to effect change together.
This year’s theme is “On Earth As It Is In Heaven”, as the conference seeks to ignite a collective desire for God’s restoration of creation.
To register, visit Our Father’s World for more details.
– Additional reporting by Theresa Tan
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