May 07, 2025
Each year, our celebration of Volunteer Appreciation Week concludes with a special event—a small but heartfelt token of our gratitude. Volunteer Coordinators Christine Lee and Bryce Cooney worked hard to ensure this year’s event was memorable. THE VENUE On Friday, May 2, Seeds served up scoops of gratitude—sprinkled with love …
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May 01, 2025
When Cleveland resident Maria Pelleschi retired, she found more time for the things she enjoyed: gardening with her husband (vegetables for him, flowers and herbs for her), racking up 3 to 4 miles a day on her pedometer, cooking, quilting — even teaching herself to crochet. But something was still …
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April 21, 2025
In honor of National Volunteer Appreciation each year, our program staff submit blurbs on stand-out tutors. It takes more than a bit of arm twisting because they don’t want to pick JUST ONE when every single volunteer we have is outstanding! But choose they must. It can’t be overstated: our …
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April 10, 2025
James Thomas Garrett III – aka Chef Jay Le Soul – is a private culinary artist in some of the city’s most exclusive homes and events. “This is the spread I made for The Whispers concert. And here’s me with Don King,” he says as he scrolls through his business …
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April 02, 2025
Silver Linings: Lee Markowitz (This article was originally published in the Cleveland Jewish News 3/28/25, Lydia Kacala) Solon resident Lee Markowitz has been volunteering since he graduated from college, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from Kenyon College in Gambier and his Ph.D. in social psychology from Bowling …
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April 01, 2025
Some people are born poets. You know the type – every phrase has rhythm, from a love note to a grocery list. They bleed style and similes, metaphors with meter, and punctuate with dramatic pauses. Do our staff members fit into that category? See for yourself. They were invited to …
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March 19, 2025
3/18/2025 CLEVELAND – Assistant Program Director Chris Richards and Student Ambassador Tina Weaver were joined by Education Reporter Conor Morris on Ideastream’s NPR “Sound of Ideas” to discuss the importance of adult literacy and how Seeds is addressing the need. They covered what brings people through the door at Seeds, …
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March 18, 2025
3/18/25 This article originally appeared in the Cleveland Jewish News website and was written by Lydia Kacala. In Ohio, 17.7% of people have low literacy levels, according to a study from the World Population Review. The study also reports that 35% of fourth graders sit below “basic reading level.” Connie …
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March 11, 2025
“This award belongs to everyone,” tutor Dean Knauss told a busy class on March 11. “Without all of you, I wouldn’t be standing here now.” Just three days earlier, Dean received the ServeOhio Award from the Ohio Commission on Service and Volunteerism at a ceremony and luncheon in Columbus. This …
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March 01, 2025
[Summer 2024 Intern Erika Scharf wrote this article. She attends Oberlin College] If you don’t believe in you, what’s the point? The first step is always the hardest. Amanda Murphy knows that better than anyone. Amanda, 45, has been coming to Seeds of Literacy on and off since 2011. The …
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