Sowing Empowerment and Economic Development Inc

Sowing Empowerment & Economic Development, Inc. (SEED) provides food, clothing, education and training while promoting self-sufficiency and empowerment directly to low- to moderate-income families and communities.  Through academic achievement, housing & economic development and community services, SEED will create environments where all individuals are empowered, all children are nurtured, families are strengthened, and communities are transformed. SEED, a HUD approved housing counseling agency, also operates a charter school, preschool and afterschool program, a food distribution center and a clothes closet. 

EXCEL Academy Public Charter School (EAPCS) provides a standards-based, holistic college preparatory education for students grades Kindergarten through 8th grade.  Through an aggressive college preparatory curriculum, cultural arts, character development and community partnerships, EAPCS, a Prince George’s County public school of choice, serves nearly 420 students annually. 

SEED Learning Center (SLC), serving children ages 2 through PreK-4 is committed to providing a comprehensive academic foundation for all children.  SLC offers a traditional school year (late August-June) consisting of 180 days of academic instruction.  The Abeka and MDSE approved Creative Curriculum are used in our school for all levels. Formally known as Little Folks Child Development Center, the preschool has served hundreds of students since its inception in 1977.   

The SEED Extended Learning Program (SELP) provides specialized academic instruction designed to help students increase their knowledge in the areas of reading and math.  With activities targeting school age youth grades K-8, SELP works to increase academic achievement with supplemental practices and tutoring designed to help children and youth perform better in school.  SELP serves 80 students from EXCEL Academy Public Charter School, Templeton and Beacon Heights Elementary Schools.

SEED offers a pre-purchase and post education housing counseling program committed to increasing homeownership and decreasing foreclosures while providing financial education for all residents of Prince George’s County. 

 SEED, a HUD approved housing counseling agency, is committed to accelerating the drive to better inform, educate and prepare underserved potential homebuyers and to test innovative approaches to qualifying and preparing new default-resistant homeowners.  This will be achieved through:  1 on 1 attention, pre purchase counseling and preparation; credit correction; strong money-management skills; post purchase education and a foreclosure prevention strategy. Clients are served in both English and Spanish, SEED has educated and counseled more than 2000 Maryland residents since the program began in December 2004. In 2012 provided foreclosure prevention and first time home buyer counseling to nearly 1000 families in English and Spanish.  In 2013 our first time home buyer classes will be offered 100% in Spanish.

As part of SEED’s community outreach efforts, the SEED Food Distribution Center and Coat of Many Colors Clothes Closet provides emergency food and clothing to nearly 1000 families (more than 4000 people) annually.  During the 2011 holiday season, SEED provided toys to more than 15 families through the SEED Youth Financial Literacy Workshop & Toy Store.  Local elementary and middle school youth participated in an afternoon of financial literary training geared toward helping them understand banking, credit and finance while enhancing their math skills.  Throughout the sessions students received SEED dollars, which enabled them to shop for gifts from the SEED Christmas Toy Store.  The toy store routinely provides toys for hundreds of families who may be facing a financial hardship during the holiday season.  In 2012 nearly 4,000 residents received emergency clothing and food with seniors receiving weekend bags monthly, students from our charter school receiving weekend bags each Friday and hundreds of families receiving nearly 8500 pounds of fresh produce through our partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank.