About Us

Sowing Empowerment and Economic Development (SEED), is a 501(c)3 community nonprofit organization operating in Prince George’s County, Maryland and Wayne County, Michigan.  Collectively serving more than 18,000 children and adults annually, SEED provides food, education, and training while promoting self-sufficiency and empowerment directly to low-to-moderate-income families.  SEED’s impact encompasses education and community development, as well as an array of community services, including food and diaper distribution, housing counseling, financial education, and healthcare enrollment.  SEED’s vision is to create environments where all individuals are empowered, all children are nurtured, families are strengthened, and communities are transformed.

History of SEED

SEED was created in 1997 as an outreach organization designed to impact and provide services to the community served by Refreshing Spring Church of God in Christ in Riverdale, Maryland and the surrounding areas.  The organization was granted 501(c)(3) status by the Internal Revenue Service as an independent nonprofit organization in 1997.

SEED’s Board Chairman Emeritus and Refreshing Spring Pastor, Bishop James E. Jordan, Jr. reactivated SEED in 2004 and placed many of the church’s secular community service activities under its umbrella.  The Refreshing Spring Food Pantry, Coat of Many Colors Clothes Closet, the church’s summer camp and the Little Folks Child Development Center were all transferred from the church to SEED.  At that time, the names of the pantry, camp and school were changed to the SEED Food Distribution Center, SEED Summer Camp and the SEED Learning Academy (SLA) respectively.

SEED began daily operations on June 7, 2004 in the Refreshing Spring Professional Building, 6201 Riverdale Road, Suite 200, Riverdale, MD 20737.  As a result of an aggressive strategic planning process with a reactivated Board of Directors, SEED was organized with the following goals:

  • Provide academic advancement opportunities to area children and youth during the school year and the summer months;

  • Provide emergency services in the areas of food, clothing as well as outreach and public education in the areas of health care and nutrition for families;

  • Provide education and counseling to first time homebuyers, families facing foreclosure and individual and youth financial capability training; and

  • Develop and rehabilitate affordable housing for area residents and seniors.

Our goals are achieved through the following community service and education programs.  The SEED Food Distribution Center provides emergency food and diapers through partnerships with the Capital Area Food Bank, the DC Diaper Bank and other donations.  We are also an enrollment site for Maryland residents seeking health insurance options through the Maryland Health Exchange and provide nutrition and health awareness classes through the University of Maryland and local health providers.

SEED is a HUD approved housing counseling agency, offering classes and counseling for first time homebuyers, foreclosure prevention for families in danger of losing their homes as well as financial literacy training for youth and families through our Family Financial Fitness Program.  SEED also serves as an enrollment for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program for families in multi-family dwellings who are facing eviction.

SEED is also the operator of EXCEL Academy Public Charter School, offering a college-preparatory education experience to families throughout Prince George’s County; we provide summer enrichment as a sponsoring organization of the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School Program (EXCEL Academy Freedom School) and serve dozens of scholars the SEED Summer Bridge Tutoring Program.  SEED also provides extended learning and tutoring to EXCEL Academy students during the school year.

In 2014 the SEED Board of Directors approved the opening of an expansion project in Detroit, MI which has resulted in thousands of households receiving classes and counseling for first time homebuyers, financial literacy for families, a monthly food distribution in partnership with Forgotten Harvest as well as a SEED-CDF Freedom School site serving 50 scholars as well as the SEED Summer Bridge Tutoring Program.

The SEED Board of Directors also approved SEED’s designation as a Community Development Organization and the addition of affordable housing and community development as a primary focus area.  SEED is a recipient organization of the Wells Fargo Community Urban Stabilization Program (CUSP) in Detroit, MI and is in the pre-development stages of affordable housing development in Riverdale, MD.

Our Impact

In 2023,

  • 107,100 pounds of emergency food, and 60,000 pounds of fresh produce provided to 25,200 individuals in 6,200 households through the SEED Food Distribution Center in Riverdale and EXCEL Academy's Family Market in Fort Washington, MD.;

  • 8 food pantries in Councilmanic Districts 1-4 in Prince George's County, MD received monthly supplemental food items from the SEED food hub to serve 3,000 households;

  • 76,416 pounds of food provided to 1,063 households in Detroit, MI.;

  • Diapers distributed to 2,327 babies in 1,453 families;

  • 100 families received holiday baskets;

  • 3 low-income families received Christmas gifts through Adopt A Family Program;

  • 97 first time home buyers educated through virtual workshops. 24 received education through online courses. The education helped 29 clients purchase homes;

  • 74 individuals received financial literacy training;

  • Foreclosure Prevention counseling was provided to 23 households, with 3 received a loan modification;

  • Free aftercare program provided to 33 scholars in Cornerstone Jefferson-Douglass Academy in Detroit, MI through SEED Extended Learning Program;

SEED clients are served in English, Spanish Portuguese and Farsi