Tag Archives: school-based mentoring

Announcing Seedling’s Fab Five Winners: Seedling to Honor Winners at 11th Annual April Gala in support of Children who have an Incarcerated Parent

AUSTIN, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Seedling invites the Austin community to our 11th Annual Austin's Fab Five - Light Up the Night! Gala on the evening of Friday, April 14, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Austin. Join us as we honor five true local heroes whose selfless devotion has left a profoundly positive impact in the lives of hundreds of Central Texas children.

This prominent event benefits Seedling by raising vital funds used to bring hope and opportunities for thousands of children affected by parental incarceration in Central Texas.

This year's honorees are Ana Cortez, President at Mexican American School Boards Association; Jonathan "Chaka" Mahone, Founder, DAWA (Diversity and Wellness in Action); Dr. Rosalind Oliphant, Mentor Teacher and Community Partnerships for Bertha Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy and Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy; Lisa Ivie Miller, Principal and Financial Advisor, CAPTRUST, and Blake Absher, Executive Vice President, Austin Market President, Broadway Bank.

Nominee photos and bios may be downloaded here: https://one.bidpal.net/fabfive23/custom/custom2

The process of selecting the honorees is a rigorous and highly competitive one. Seedling chooses candidates who are leaders in the Austin community and whose work positively impacts Central Texas children. Fab Five honorees are devoted champions for underserved children as well as education. The Fab Five event highlights the work and leadership of the honorees while raising much needed funds to support school-based mentoring for children impacted by parental incarceration.

"This is our eleventh year hosting the Fab Five Gala, and every year we continue to raise the bar for, and accomplish our fundraising goals, so more children can experience the benefits of having a caring mentor in their life," said Julie Barschow, Seedling Director of Development. "As we reflect on the contributions of this year's Honorees, we look to our extraordinarily generous community to help us continue the Fab Five - Light Up the Night! Gala for many years to come."

Proceeds from the event support Seedling's mentor program, which provides mentors as role models and sources of support and encouragement to children whose parents are absent from the home serving a jail or prison sentence.

For information on the event or Seedling's impact in the lives of children in our community, please visit the Fab Five website at https://bit.ly/FabFive22 or contact Emily Slater at Emily@seedlingmentors.org or 512-323-6371.

About Seedling:

Seedling has provided school-based mentoring for children impacted by parental incarceration since 2006. This school year, Seedling aims to provide mentoring for 525 students in Austin ISD, Del Valle ISD, Pflugerville ISD, Hays CISD, KIPP Public Schools, and Austin Achieve, and is currently seeking mentors. Each year, Seedling also awards $5,000 scholarships to 8th grade students to use toward their post-secondary education. Since the pandemic, Seedling has expanded programming to include virtual and summer mentoring, additional scholarship opportunities, and extra support for high school mentees. Seedling is a 501 (C) (3) non-profit organization, Tax ID #74-2841791. Donations are tax deductible.

To learn more about Seedling or to become a mentor visit Seedling's website at https://www.seedlingmentors.org/ or call (512) 323-6371.

Seedling invites the Austin community to our 11th Annual Austin's Fab Five - Light Up the Night! Gala on the evening of Friday, April 14, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Austin. Join us as we honor five true local heroes whose selfless devotion has left a profoundly positive impact in the lives of hundreds of Central Texas children.

Related link: https://seedlingmentors.org/

Seeking Mentors for Children Experiencing Parental Incarceration

AUSTIN, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Seedling Foundation, a non-profit organization serving children who have an incarcerated parent, is seeking business partners and individual volunteers to mentor children in Central Texas school districts during the 2022-23 school year. The organization served 472 children last school year and expects to significantly increase the number of children served in local school districts.

Based on research-driven, best practices for mentoring, Seedling trains and supports mentors (each mentor assisted by a professional Seedling Mentor Director) for their work with children who have an incarcerated parent. Mentors and mentees meet weekly during lunch at one of Seedling's 100 public school partners. Seedling works intently to pair volunteers' skills and interests with a child who has similar interests. The average duration of a mentor/mentee match is 24 months, which positively contributes to the students' personal development, resilience, school engagement, attendance, and disciplinary outcomes.

"Mentoring a child in a local public school is one of the most rewarding and impactful volunteer experiences in Central Texas. The reward for both the mentee and volunteer is life changing," said Dan Leal, Seedling Executive Director.

Seedling's mission is to mitigate the impact of parental incarceration on children in Central Texas through school-based mentoring. Seedling matches children with mentors in Austin ISD, Austin Achieve Public Schools, Del Valle ISD, Hays Consolidated ISD, KIPP Public Schools, and Pflugerville ISD. Since 2005, Seedling has served more than 2700 children who have a parent in prison or jail.

There are an estimated 8,000 kids who have a parent in jail or prison in Travis, Hays, Bastrop, and Williamson Counties. No system, including criminal justice and schools, asks the question of whether a child is in need due to parental incarceration. Seedling began mentoring children who have an incarcerated parent at the request of Austin ISD principals to fill a need that often remains hidden due to stigma.

Individuals may visit https://seedlingmentors.org to complete the New Mentor Application or call Seedling at (512) 323-6371 to inquire about an information session for a group. Caregivers who are seeking school-based mentoring for their child in school districts partnering with Seedling should contact the school's counseling department.

About Seedling:

Seedling has provided school-based mentoring for over 2700 Central Texas children impacted by parental incarceration since 2005. Seedling is seeking mentors to serve children during the 2022-23 school year. Seedling is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Tax ID #74-2841791. Donations are tax deductible.

For more information visit https://www.seedlingmentors.org/.

Seedling Foundation, a non-profit organization serving children who have an incarcerated parent, is seeking business partners and individual volunteers to mentor children in Central Texas school districts during the 2022-23 school year. The organization served 472 children last school year and expects to significantly increase the number of children served in local school districts.

Related link: https://seedlingmentors.org/

Study Confirms Mentoring Makes a Significant Difference in Youth Overcoming Pandemic-related Challenges

AUSTIN, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Seedling Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing school-based mentoring for children impacted by parental incarceration, recently released its annual program evaluation showing that children who had access to a Seedling mentor had stronger social, emotional, and school-based outcomes than children who were without a mentor during the 2020-21 school year.

Seedling Foundation recently released its independent program evaluation conducted by Dr. Karen Looby, an Austin-based researcher and program evaluator with more than 30 years of experience in public education.

The 2020-21 program evaluation compared outcomes for children in several categories including personal development skills, persistence, school engagement, and attendance. The results of the survey show that students who met with a Seedling mentor had significantly higher positive outcomes than students who did not meet with their mentor in the areas of persistence (84.2% vs. 73,3%), student engagement (88% vs.67.3%), and positive attendance outcomes (65.6% vs. 42.1%). The report also states that overall, 87% of Seedling mentees who met with their mentors had three or more positive outcomes on the selected measures.

"We are very proud of our staff and mentors and grateful to the school districts for the hard work and persistence that went into finding effective ways for mentors to meet with mentees last year when mentors were not able to visit campuses. The results for our mentees are remarkable," said Dan Leal, Seedling Foundation Executive Director.

The program evaluation concludes that "in a year characterized by increased stressors of the pandemic in addition to adverse childhood experiences resulting from the trauma of having an incarcerated parent, mentoring becomes increasingly important in the mitigation of potentially negative impacts," (Looby, 2021).

About Seedling Foundation:

Since 2006, Seedling Foundation has provided school-based mentoring for children impacted by parental incarceration. During the 2020-21 school year, Seedling mentors provided mentoring for 361 children in more than 10 Central Texas school districts, including Austin ISD, Del Valle ISD, Pflugerville ISD, KIPP Public Schools, and Hays CISD with 518 of the children considered active in the program. Each year, Seedling Foundation also awards scholarships of up to $5,000 to 8th grade students to use toward their post-secondary education. Seedling is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Tax ID #74-2841791. Donations are tax deductible.

To learn more about Seedling or to become a mentor visit Seedling's website at https://seedlingmentors.org/ or call (512) 323-6371.

RELATED LINK:
https://seedlingmentors.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Seedling-Report_2020-2021_FINAL_11.29.21-RESIZED.pdf

Seedling Foundation, a nonprofit organization providing school-based mentoring for children impacted by parental incarceration, recently released its annual program evaluation showing that children who had access to a Seedling mentor had stronger social, emotional, and school-based outcomes than children who were without a mentor during the 2020-21 school year.

Related link: https://seedlingmentors.org/

Seedling Welcomes New Development Director

AUSTIN, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Seedling Foundation, a non-profit organization providing school-based mentoring for children who have an incarcerated parent, has selected Julie Barschow as Development Director. Ms. Barschow joins Seedling with over 20 years of nonprofit management, development and marketing experience.

Spending the first six years of her career with the YMCA of Austin, Ms. Barschow helped retain and grow membership at the Y's flagship branch in downtown Austin, while also helping to grow the Partner of Youth campaign, expanding efforts to bring the Y's services to all, despite their financial circumstances. Julie then transitioned to Boys & Girls Clubs of Austin, where she spent the next decade in development and marketing, helping raise more than $1 Million per year through a variety of initiatives and events.

During her tenure, the Boys & Girls Clubs grew from serving less than 1,000 kids to more than 10,000, and from annual revenue of less than $800,000 to $7 Million. Julie assisted the organization through its largest growth period, helping build and improve systems, resulting in more contributions and community awareness across all resource development avenues. She has also run her own business, offering development and marketing consulting and services for nonprofits and small businesses.

"I was blessed to discover my love for philanthropy and civil service at the beginning of my professional career. I have done my best to be a servant leader, helping the world get a little better every day in whatever small way I can. I am grateful and honored to join the Seedling team and help advance the mission to help children overcome difficult circumstances and reach their full potential," Ms. Barschow said.

Julie holds a B.S. in Communications Studies from The University of Texas at Austin, and has completed advanced leadership training under The Professional Association of Boys & Girls Clubs' award-winning leadership program. Julie is a member of and has previously served on the board for Women Communicators of Austin, and has served as both President and VP of Fundraising for the Parent Teacher Associations at her children's schools in Austin ISD and Hays Consolidated ISD.

Ms. Barschow succeeds Linda Thompson, who is retiring after 4 years as Seedling's Development Director. Ms. Thompson helped Seedling to increase mentoring services to children by growing its annual budget by over 20% during her time with Seedling.

"We feel very fortunate to have had Linda's experience and passion for the past four years and look forward to having Julie continue the excellence in development and raise needed awareness so that more children impacted by parental incarceration can have mentors and support," said Dan Leal, Seedling Executive Director.

About Seedling:

Seedling has provided school-based mentoring for over 2300 Central Texas children impacted by parental incarceration since 2005. Seedling is seeking mentors to serve children during the 2021-22 school year as schools allows mentors to return campuses. Seedling is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization, Tax ID #74-2841791. Donations are tax deductible.

To learn more about Seedling or to become a mentor visit Seedling's website at https://seedlingmentors.org/ or call (512) 323-6371.

Seedling Foundation, a non-profit organization providing school-based mentoring for children who have an incarcerated parent, has selected Julie Barschow as Development Director. Ms. Barschow joins Seedling with over 20 years of nonprofit management, development and marketing experience.

Related link: https://seedlingmentors.org/

Mentors Needed for Children Experiencing Parental Incarceration

AUSTIN, Texas /ScoopCloud/ -- Seedling, a non-profit organization serving children who have an incarcerated parent, is seeking business partners and individuals to mentor children in Central Texas school districts during the 2021-22 school year. The organization served 349 children last school year and expects to significantly increase the number of children served during the 2021/2022 school year.

Seedling's mission is to mitigate the impact of parental incarceration on children in Central Texas through school-based mentoring. The non-profit organization matches children with mentors in Austin ISD, Del Valle ISD, Hays Consolidated ISD, KIPP Public Schools, and Pflugerville ISD. Since 2005, Seedling has served over 2300 children who have a parent in prison or jail.

There are an estimated 8,000 kids that have a parent in jail or prison in the four-county area of Travis, Hays, Bastrop, and Williamson County. No system, including criminal justice and schools, reliably ask the question of whether a child is affected or is in need, due to parental incarceration. The organization began mentoring children of incarcerated parents due to the request of principals in local school districts.

"Our community needs to be doing all it can to support the children in Central Texas who have an incarcerated parent. It is imperative that we all find ways to support Seedling's mentoring program so these kids have the opportunity to reach their full potential," said Austin Mayor Steve Adler.

Based in best practices for mentoring, Seedling trains and supports its mentors, specializing in the challenges surrounding being a child who has an incarcerated parent. Mentors meet with their mentee once weekly during lunch personally or virtually, at one of the 100 public schools partnering with Seedling. The organization pairs the volunteer's skills and interests with a child who has similar interests.

"Mentoring helps employees adopt skills and behaviors at work that can make a real difference for both the individual and the employer in today's socially conscious workforce. More importantly, the reward for both the mentee and volunteer is life changing," said Dan Leal, Seedling Executive Director.

Seedling matches average 24 months which positively contributes to the students' personal development, resilience, school engagement, attendance, and disciplinary outcomes. Eighty-five percent of Seedling's 2019-20 high school seniors aspired to enroll in college. More than double the number of Seedling students confirmed college enrollment than did a matched comparison group of students.

Individuals can go to the Seedling website https://seedlingmentors.org/mentor to complete the new mentor application or call Seedling at (512) 323-6371 to inquire about an information session for a group.

Caregivers who are seeking school-based mentoring for their child in school districts partnering with Seedling should contact the school's counseling department.

About Seedling:

Seedling has provided school-based mentoring for over 2300 Central Texas children impacted by parental incarceration since 2005. Seedling is seeking mentors to serve children during the 2021-22 school year as schools allows mentors to return campuses. Seedling is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Tax ID #74-2841791. Donations are tax deductible.

Learn more at: https://seedlingmentors.org/

MEDIA ONLY CONTACT:
Dan Leal, Executive Director
(512) 323-6371 (phone)
dan@seedlingmentors.org

Seedling, a non-profit organization serving children who have an incarcerated parent, is seeking business partners and individuals to mentor children in Central Texas school districts during the 2021-22 school year. The organization served 349 children last school year and expects to significantly increase the number of children served during the 2021/2022 school year.

Related link: https://seedlingmentors.org/