At SEED, we firmly believe that all young people—regardless of their financial circumstance—should have the tools and support they need to realize their dreams. So, when we meet community members who are also passionate about educational equity, we get really excited! (Who doesn’t like connecting with someone who has a shared interest and passion?)
We recently spoke with Meggie Sheehan, who learned about SEED last year after doing an online search for educational programs in the DC metro area. She found SEED on Charity Navigator and was impressed by SEED’s rating. Since that search, Meggie has been a friend of SEED, and she has connected us to her co-workers at StellaPop, a management and creative consulting company where she works.
Thanks to Meggie, StellaPop included SEED on its holiday list of charities they support and provided $1,000 in metro cards to SEED DC students to help them get to and from their dual-enrollment courses. StellaPop employees are also planning to teach our graduates how to build their personal brands as they prepare for the professional workplace. Check out our recent conversation with Meggie.
Why do you support SEED?
I think investing in helping young people succeed is so important. I also feel it’s important to give a leg up to youth who could potentially fall behind.
As a child, I benefited from being busy and being provided with a lot of material to study and learn from. I often think about how my life would be different if I went to another school that didn’t invest in me. I see that SEED invests in its students, and that’s why I have chosen to support SEED.
What attracted you to SEED?
I was impressed by SEED’s statistics. The number of SEED graduates that go on to complete college is inspiring. I also remember receiving a newsletter that highlighted a student who was able to travel abroad because of SEED’s support. It made me really happy to read about the opportunities that are available to SEED students.
Can you tell me a bit about how StellaPop helps the community?
This holiday season, we chose twelve organizations to support over twelve days. We call it the twelve days of Christmas. Our goal is to help local charities in a variety of ways. Examples include delivering turkeys to individuals who are homeless and donating comfort cases for children living in foster care.
StellaPop started this campaign in order to give back to the community and to highlight organizations who are making a difference. A few of the charities we support include the Virginia Coalition for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, Inc. (VCPEA), StillBrave Childhood Cancer Foundation, and SEED.
Is there anything else you want to add?
When looking for an organization to support, I wanted to ensure my dollar went far. Because SEED has a good score, I felt comfortable with making a gift and telling my co-workers about SEED.
I look forward to volunteering with SEED and being more hands-on in the future.