25th Anniversary
FY 2022-2023
From parties to videos, historical timelines, and staff flashbacks, this page provides a Seeds retrospective of the last quarter century.
The pandemic prompted many adult literacy organizations to close permanently, but Seeds continued to thrive. We’ve grown and have expanded our reach. Our 25th Fiscal Year:
- Students from almost every state and 6 countries
- Tutors from almost every state and 3 countries
- 27 Board Members
- 150 Graduates!
- Remote and In-Person Sessions
- 22 Staff Members
Cornerstones of our success continue to be flexibility and accessibility for our students and volunteers. Each student has unique learning needs, schedules, and responsibilities beyond their studies. Our program accommodates those needs by offering:
- 3 locations: one each on Cleveland’s east and west sides, and now a virtual location
- registration for new students weekly
- 12 class tutoring sessions available weekly at each location
- and new tutor training sessions every month.
OUR HISTORY
Seeds has truly grown from our humble beginning as an offshoot of the Sisters of St. Joseph ministry (where we provided services in various church basements) to being an independent nonprofit with two locations in Cleveland and a virtual presence worldwide.
The path to where we are was winding, with successes and challenges along the way.
Logo History in 10 Seconds
Flashback to 1997, The Year It Began
The air smelled like Drakar Noir and CK1 in the lines outside the movie theaters. Leo DiCaprio drowned because Kate Winslet would not share her floating door after the Titanic sank, and dinosaurs continued to wreck havoc in The Lost World. Scully and Mulder were teaching us about the X Files and Jennifer Anniston’s hair was becoming iconic. Simone Biles was born, Princess Diana died, and Tiger Woods became the youngest player to win the Masters.
Click the image below to enlarge.
We asked each of our staff members to look back at 1997. We received some surprising answers. And some weren’t even born yet!
OUR IMPACT
Over 25 years Seeds of Literacy has helped thousands of adults improve their basic skill levels. We’re not done: the need remains critical and we will continue to work tirelessly to break the cycle of poverty though the transformative power of literacy.
Make YOUR impact with a $250 donation.
Just $250 will pay for 20 new students to register with our award-winning adult basic education program and receive completely free one-to-one tutoring, practice tests, and materials!
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25th Anniversary CHALLENGE GRANT: $50,000 At Stake
OUR FUTURE & YOURS
Seeds of Literacy is dedicated to another 25 years of providing free, personalized basic education instruction to adults. Our future is one where every adult has the sustaining literacy skills they need to live their best lives, support their children’s education, and break the cycle of poverty and low-literacy.