TGIF

Hey, y’all! Lee again. It’s been a wild couple weeks here at SEEED. We’re gearing up for our next career readiness training course in August, but before then there’s a lot to do. We are in the early stages of planning a new opportunity for our job trainees. The city will be rolling out a brand new 7.12 MILLION dollar program to weatherize houses, and it’s still up in the air how to spread the word. Everybody knows that SEEEED is the place to go for green jobs like weatherization, so I think it’ll get busy around here soon. Right now it’s a lot to take in, but it’ll all be worth it once those first paychecks come in for our trainees.

The building is pretty quiet this week since we don’t have the Just Lead kids here. John and I have been rocking out to his favorite music for getting stuff done, Taylor Swift, with the occasional Watch Me played by Josh, dance included. Never a dull day at SEEED!

not technically a picture of Josh, but you get the idea

Don’t forget that we have raised garden beds that are available for anyone to plant their vegetables in. The edible forest is looking good, and there are some tiny little fruits showing up. There’s still some room in a few of the garden beds, so if don’t have room in your yard come on down here to plant some vegetables. The best part is that raised beds have fewer weeds, and you don’t have to bend over to weed them!

Leroy mugging for the camera

Our next big project is updating the donor list so that we can keep y'all updated on what SEEED is doing. It turns out we don't have the mailing addresses for lots of people. Since everybody loves getting mail (as long as it isn't a bill!), be on the lookout for a letter over the next few weeks from all of us here at SEEED. Until then, John's keeping you up to date on facebook and twitter. Come in and see us any time!

Week One!

Hello from your new SEEED Career Readiness Program Coordinator, Lee!

John and I are wrapping up our first week on site at SEEED, and it’s already been a whirlwind! Before we even got in the doors for our first day, we had two weeks of training. First we went to Atlanta with all the other new AmeriCorps VISTAs in the South for a few days in the Emory Conference Center. The food was great, and we were told to enjoy it because we wouldn't make enough to eat that well for a while! Back in Tennessee we had a week of training with some of the other VISTA members in the area serving in Knoxville and Jefferson City. We met up at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City for a few days of learning about the area and getting to know each other. We are lucky to have a great group of VISTAs working together this year!

Finally we got to actually get started at SEEED last Friday. John is taking over for Summer. He will be working on social media, so he'll be running the facebook page. twitter, instragram, and probably other sites I don't even know about. Right now, he’s updating SEEED's website, so check out his work! He'll also be setting up big events throughout the year for SEEED. From what I hear, SEEED knows how to party, so John will have his hands full!

As for me, I’m taking over for Kenisha as Program Coordinator for the career readiness program. Kenisha left two binders full of papers about everything she does, so it’s a little overwhelming right now. I’m looking forward to the challenge, though!

So far, John and I have met a ton of people doing great work to make Knoxville better. There’s no way I can list everyone, but here are some of the highlights of the first week.

•          Josh Outsey is back in town! Josh was one of the co-founders of SEEED and was in Kentucky as an Appalachian Transition Fellow. We got to hear some great stories and advice about Stan and SEEED.
  
•          The Williams Creek Community Garden is getting rolling! They have their first plot tilled and a sign up. Very official! They will be planting pumpkins this year that will be ripe just in time for Halloween. Thanks to Caley, the VISTA at the Permaculture Guild for letting us see the cool work y’all are doing!
  
•          The folks from Neighborhood Nerds fixed John’s computer. It wasn’t a great start for John to come into the office on the first day and not be able to connect to the internet. The Nerds helped him out and it was working in no time. Those guys are awesome!
  
•          We met with people from all across town to learn more about what’s coming up this year in weatherization and energy efficiency. Erin Gill and Brian Blackmon in Knoxville’s Office of Sustainability were especially helpful.
  

We still have a lot to learn about SEEED, but it looks like there’s some great work being done here. I’m excited to dig in and meet everybody soon. And we have the perfect opportunity to meet y’all at the barbecue coming up! Don't forget: We are having a cookout with Jarman's BBQ Friday June 19^th right here at SEEED. See you there!

Onward and Upward: Hear from Kenisha & Summer's experiences as VISTAs and Meet the 2015-2016 AmeriCorps VISTAs

HAPPY FRIDAY, EVERYONE!!! 

We know it's been awhile since we last wrote, but to be honest, you haven't missed much that has happened around the organization. For the most part last week everyone was mostly in and out of the office-either visit family and/or attending graduations. So, not much time was really spent at Seeedville all of last week.

These last two weeks at Seeedville are seeming to be bitter-sweet. Summer and I (Kenisha) are entering our final week with us. May 22, 5:00pm will mark our final day here at SEEED. We are sad to be leaving, but we believe that we have done some much for SEEED, and we are positive that everyone is eternally grateful to us for the contribution that we have made over the last year. SEEED won't be the same without us, but that doesn't mean that the organization won't continue to prosper--if anything, we believe that SEEED is on the verge of becoming something bigger than what it was these past year, and Summer and I are extremely excited, and are remorseful that we won't be a part of if; although we'll be sure to stay informed on up to date on the organization's accomplishments. We will miss Seeedville dearly and we are positive that we'll also be missed by everyone who has ever interacted with the organization. 

But on a more positive and sweeter note, SEEED is blessed to have two more VISTAs to join in the place of Summer and Kenisha. And no, these VISTAs are not the new Kenisha and Summer. They are John and Lee. These two young man come to us as graduates from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. SEEED was so lucky to have had these two young man who have been living and working in the local area; hence they seemed to be better equipped with knowledge about local community that Summer nor I had. Therefore, we believe that SEEED will be in great hands come May 29th when these two young men begin their journey as AmeriCorps VISTAs at Seeedville. I do not doubt that they will be equipped with the resource that Summer and I have left behind for them as well as their own knowledge and resources that they have gained while attending their undergraduate university and living in Knoxville. 


If I have to be honest, I think that when me and Summer started our journey as VISTAs, we came with not much knowledge about Knoxville or the communities we intend on serving. While Summer attended Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, TN and frequented Knoxville on the weekends, her interaction with the City was mainly based on shopping excursions, eating and enjoying the nightlife. Hence, she wasn't well-informed about the issues that plagues the inner-cities--low- to moderate-income communities. As for me, when I first learned about this VISTA opportunity, that was the first time I would have learned about the City of Knoxville. I had been the Nashville a while back and so Tennessee was not completely new to me. Quite frankly, Vanderbilt was in my top choices for schools to attend for my undergraduate degree, but decided to go elsewhere when I learned about how massive the institution is. Hence, when I decided to live and work in Knoxville for a year, I didn't really fully grasp what awaited me, nor did I fully understand the issues of poverty, race, class, homelessness, education and various other social in/justices that affect such a small City. I did do my research and so I was "well-informed" based on the statistics that were laid out on the internet. But if we are completely honest with ourselves, we'd really come to learn that not because it's on the internet, it doesn't make it true. Or we'll also acknowledge that a live-experience is worth much more than any book/research. 

Therefore, when Summer and I came to Knoxville, we were taken aback by some of the issues we ran into: lack of familiarity with surrounding communities, lack of understanding regarding the cultural idioms of the City, and various other lack of knowledge when it comes to what Knoxville is really about and who the people are whom we serve. 

Don't get me wrong. I do think we have made a positive impact and we have made an effort to really get out there and meet the people, learn about the City and gain a broader perspective of the work we do here. But I do think that when we have people coming in who are deeply rooted in Knoxville and have been a lot exposed to the issues that affect the City, it can get a lot more done for the organization and for those whom we choose to serve. 

So, as we've mentioned earlier, we have two amazing young men who will be joining Seeedville this year and we are sincerely grateful to them for saying "yes" to accepting the challenge to make Seeedville more successful over the coming year. The services that VISTAs provide to the organization are tremendously crucial to the success of SEEED. Hence, we are very excited to know that when Summer and I leave, that SEEED will be in great hands and that organization will be moving a different and positive direction. So, here are our two new added members of the Seeedville family: 


Meet Lee:

Hi all! I’m Lee Owen, and I will be serving as the program coordinator at SEEED this year. I am finishing up at UT (Knoxville) where I have been studying history and political philosophy. A lot of my involvement of campus has been coordinating informative lectures and public events at UT, so I’m looking forward to applying that experience in a whole new way. I was also on the quidditch team, which isn't much of a professional qualification, but it was very fun! I’m very involved with my church, Tyson House, where I’m very fortunate to be taking part in an intentional living program for the next year. I was thrilled to be accepted into the C-N Vista program because it seems like a great way to grow professionally while jumping right into serving the Knoxville community. To be honest, I don't have a set plan laid out for my career, but I know that programs targeted at building and supporting community have helped me so much, and I am thrilled to be part of that process. I’m impressed by the work I’ve seen at SEEED and the other sites, and I am especially looking forward to meeting my cohort and getting down to business!

Lee will be serving as the Program Coordinator for our Career Readiness Program, as well as working closely with Stan to merge Knoxville's Smarter Cities Campaign into what SEEED is doing. Lee will be entering the role that I (Kenisha) currently occupies, but will have his hands full with the Smarter Cities initiative. I hope that you'll give him the same (or even more) support that you have given me over the year ;)

Meet John:

Hello everyone, my name is John Gough and I'll be working with SEEED as the social media and events coordinator. Originally, I am from Michigan, but have lived in Knoxville for the past the five years. Prior to pursuing my undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee I served in the United States Army National Guard as a Combat Engineer with the 1431st SAPPER Battalion. With the 1431st I helped provide security for the Mackinac Bridge Walk, assisted in the Upper Peninsula Wildfires, and deployed Afghanistan in 2008 to conduct Route Clearance Patrols around the notorious Khost-Gardez pass. Upon returning home I spent some time traveling in Europe, South America, and Central America. During this time my parents had moved to Kingston, Tn to retire. With no immediate family left in Michigan I made the move to Knoxville, Tn in order to be closer to "home." Since my time here I have grown to love and call East Tennessee home, which has sparked my aspiration to serve the community in which I am apart of. I believe Americorps will give me the unique opportunity to make a real difference in our local community and lay the groundwork to eventually make a difference in the national and global community. As Martin Luther King once pronounced, "We must not be concerned merely with those who commit violence, but about the system, the way of life, and the philosophy which produced the violent." Moreover, I'm looking forward to meeting and working with everyone in the upcoming year. Until then, all the best, John!

John will be serving as the Coordinator of Communications, Event Planning, and Social Media. He will be continuing SEEED's capacity-building efforts in the same ways that Summer has been for this past year. Hence, we do ask that you continue to support, not just John and his efforts, but that you also continue to support SEEED in a way that shows how much you all care and love SEEED.

Summer and I sincerely thank you all for your kind support throughout our year of service. If we were to individually name each person who's made this year a success, we wouldn't have room left. So, we do hope that if you believe that you have touched our lives in any way past year, please know that we are grateful to you in more ways than one. And we cannot ask for anything more than for you to continue to give that same support to our incoming VISTAs, because they we are only as successful and effective to the organizations we serve when we know we have a lasting support system that won't give up on us and the work we set out to do. 

Thanks again for a year well-spent. We sincerely hope that we have in turn touched your life in a positive way and we do hope that our incoming VISTAs will too. 

That's all for this week, folks. I know that was a rather long post, but I do believe it was needed; at least for this time. We promise we won't do another post this long (maybe, LOL)!

FYI, next week is me and Summer's last week. So, if you haven't stopped by to bid your goodbyes (or see you laters), we encourage you to come by and do so. It's really suck if we don't get to see most, if not all, of you before we leave. So, please come by! We always love to you all around the building :) 

Stay tuned for my very last blog post on 05/22/2015. 

Until then, 
+Seeed Knox

LET THE EARTHLY FESTIVITIES BEGIN....

Hi Everyone!! 

We hope you all have had a wonderful week thus and are looking forward to what the weekend has in store for us. 

Like we have informed you all, SEEED attended Knoxville's Earthfest this past Saturday at the World's Fair Park. We had a lot of fun! It was really great to see other folks and talking to people about what we do. There were some people who were living in Knoxville who had little to no idea that our organization exists and so we realize that we definitely need to start stepping up our outreaching game. Other than that, everything else was great! We got some goodies to take home. Here are few photos and a little video for you to feast your eyes. And if you didn't attend, you missed out on a whole lot, but hey, there's always next next, which we can't wait for!

On another note, Seeedville celebrated Earth Day, which was on Wednesday, by having volunteers from Knox County Sheriff's Office coming out and pressure wash the facility, mow the grass, painted the retainer walls, and fixed our broken doors out back. It took up pretty much the entire day, but, hey, why complain, when they are doing this out of this kindness of their hearts. And so, we want to give them a huge shoutout for taking the time out of their day to help us get the exterior of our facility to look more appealing. 

We are grateful to all of you for your continuous support of the organization. The views on blogs are significantly increasing. We have over 400 views, in not just the U.S., but various other parts of the globe. So, we encourage you to continue your view support. As for social media, we are still just an inch away from reaching our 1000 LIKES for the year. So, be a good sport and like our Facebook Page. We have a lot of good stuff happening on their. Things that we haven't put into these posts. So, stay current and informed. You can also visit our website for any news/upcoming events around the organization. 

That's all for this week, folks. We sincerely hope you all are having a great work week, and that your weekend will be a tremendous one. 

Until next time. 

+Seeed Knox 

HAPPY EARTH MONTH (APRIL IS EARTH MONTH... )!!!

Hi Guys!!

We hope that for those of us who are experiencing Spring/summer seasons are enjoying the beautiful sunshine that we're getting here in Knoxville. 

Not much has happened at Seeedville this past week. We have been really trying to increase our efforts to renovate the facility. So, mostly this week has been a lot of walking around outside and looking at what needs to be done both on the interior and exterior of the building.

We're really HAPPY this it is spring! The flowers are looking magnificently beautiful!

But like most of us know, April is Earth Month!! We don't know about you, but SEEED is sincerely grateful to have at least one month dedicated to truly acknowledge the earth and all that she has been doing for us. 

Fun Fact: Did you know that Earth Day was first introduced by the EPA on April 22, 1970? 

On this day, millions of Americans gathered to partake in the various celebrations that were put forth to recognizing the earth. In addition to having Americans fully invested in this new-found ideology, politicians, even started including "environmentalism" into their political platforms. 

Now, 4 and 1/2 decades later, the Earth is still subjected to the capitalistic ideals of man. But on the brighter side, we have come a long way in terms of protecting the earth. Now there are policies put in place that basically prohibits man from destroying. And while that is sign of process, we still have long ways to go, if we want this Earth to be sustained for future generations. 

Looking for things to do throughout the month of April to show your appreciation of Mother Earth? Well, here in Knoxville, Earthfest will be on Saturday, April 18th, Downtown; starting at 10:00 a.m. It's not impossible to find local events around your communities that are dedicated to celebrating Earth Day. So, get out there and join in the celebration. Dont forget to take those #selfies and those #hastags #EarthDay :)

That's all for this week, folks. Still looking for ways to continue supporting Seeedville? Well, please LIKE us on Facebook-we can't stress how important it is to have facebook supporters. Also, we are still dormantly fundraising for our building renovation. So, feel free to donate. No amount is too small. 

Have a fantastic weekend. 

+Seeed Knox 

JOB READINESS PROGRAM PREPARATION: THE SEEED-(MAKE)OVER CONTINUES

Greetings to you all on this (hopefully) wonderful Friday afternoon!!

For this week's post, we have a few things that we'd like to share with you all: (1) Thank-You; (2) Computer Lab installation; (3) Funding; (4) Program Recruitment; and (5) Upcoming Events 

First, we at SEEED would like to take this time to say a huge "THANK-YOU" to everyone who's been supporting us. Last time we checked, we have viewers from Indonesia, Germany, Russia, and don't forget the US. We are tremendously grateful to everyone who's been reading. We are happy to know that we have people who are interested in the things we are posting; whether at home or abroad. Thank-you to all of you!

Second, we'd like to, as usual, provide some updates about things that have happened at Seeedville this week. We are SO excited to share with you the small, but great things have happened throughout the week. We FINALLY got to install our long-overdue computer lab! Yes, we did it! Seeedville has installed its computer lab!!! Soon we will be installing actual computers to add to the interior remodeling that has been taking place. Our friends from First Baptist Concord Church came out on Tuesday to get us in motion for what will soon become a designated work space for our program participants, but also a hub for community residents. 

The photos below provide a visual glimpse of what we started with and what the final product is. It is, indeed, an amazing feeling to have the ground work covered for the computer lab. We are thrilled to know that our young adults will have a space that they can call their own, a space that gives them a sense of freedom, and a space that will, potentially, in the end, make most of their dreams come true. 

In addition to finishing the ground work for installing our computer lab, we are also working on getting the heating system fixed. Inspectors from Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) came by to look at what can be done to ensure that we get to stay warm and cozy during the cold seasons. SEEED is super pumped to be able to finally call the Morningside Community Center a home. This renovation gives a sense of stability, it also helps us tell our community members that we'll be around for a while. 

Third, we are in need of support for the projects and tasks that we are undertaking in preparation for our job readiness program. Upon completion of the computer lab, our next task will be fixing all the broken windows and blinds that are taking a toll on our energy usage; especially during the winter season. To help our cause or to learn more about SEEED's renovations needs, please feel to check out our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/seeedmakeover or visit our website at: www.seeedknox.com. You can directly donate to our "call for new windows" on our GoFundMe Page: www.GoFundMe.com/seeedopenhouse. Here is your chance to see what SEEED sees whenever it looks outside of its windows. And on a side note, the view is really beautiful during the nighttime :)

Fourth, not only are we busy with renovating the interior of Seeedville for our Job Readiness Program, but we are also pulling the necessary strings to get our program off to a great start, which is scheduled to commence on Tuesday, March 10th. This week marks the official start of our recruitment. So, we will be hitting up the nearby communities to pass out information about our program, and hope that we might snug a few potential interested candidates. On Thursday, we hit the streets and recruited around the Morningside community. If you missed us, we'll be back again. In addition to recruitment, we have been writing grants and looking for potential ways that we might be able to fund our program so that our young adults do not have to. Again, if you'd like to know more, please visit the links posted above. 

Fifth, and last, Upcoming Events:
February 19th (6:30-8:00): SEEED's Open House Fundraiser @ the SEEED building. If you're in the Knoxville area and want to learning about the new and exciting things that are happening, this is a great opportunity to learn!

That is all for now, everyone! I wish you all a productive rest of the day and a wonderful weekend.

P.S. For those of us who do celebrate Valentine's Day, I wish for you nothing but an extra day filled will love & laughter. And for those of us who don't, I wish for you the very same.

Until next time,
Take care

Job Readiness Program Updates

Hello Seeedlings!

A very happy Friday to you all! This week's updates are relatively shorts; as there aren't much that had happened this past week. 

This past week was spent in preparation for the job readiness program, which is scheduled to commence on Tuesday, March 10 at 1:30PM. A lot of time has been spent on trying to create a more up-to-date brochure that included all the necessary changes that were made to the program and the organization as a whole. 

Furthermore, the month of February is dedicated to program recruitment, as well as getting the facility in preparation for our first day of classes. 

Below is are the inside/outside of the tri-fold brochure and a copy of our recruitment flyer. 

Seeedville would greatly appreciate the efforts of our Knoxville locals who might be able to assist us in our recruitment efforts. Should you know anyone who's currently unemployed or underemployed, someone whom you think could benefit from the services that SEEED offers, then please feel free to pass our information along. 

Upcoming Events: 

February 10: Computer Lab Installation courtesy of First Baptist Concord

February 19 (6:30-8:00): SEEED's Open House

Welcome to SeeedVille

Happy Friday Everyone!!

With all the changes that are currently happening with the organization, we have decided that it is about time that we start keeping a weekly blog to update our followers about all the many blessings that SEEED receives. 

Since this is our first blog post, we'd like to kick things off by welcoming each and everyone of you to SEEEDVille! Yes, you got that right, SEEEDVille!! We are excited to share our journey with you for the year ahead, and we sincerely hope that you will continue to support us or start supporting our cause for this year. SEEEDVille is in reference to the organization's facility-it includes the day-to-day of SEEED. So, get comfortable with this name because we will refer to the organization as such from now on. 

Again, because this is the initial post, we'll try to keep it as short as possible and do our best to get you all up to speed. Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development (SEEED) is a nonprofit organization here in Knoxville, TN. We are currently located in the Morningside Community Center, also known as Turnkey 3. SEEED's mission is to create opportunities for pathways our of poverty for Knoxville's young adults through job readiness training, while equipping communities with environmental literacy skills. 

The job readiness program is for young adults between the ages of 16-28 years old. We mostly work with high school dropouts, but strive to ensure that everyone, as long as they meet to specific age requirement, is given a chance to become job ready. This nine weeks program focuses on resume-writing, interviewing techniques, budgeting application completion, time management, and various other skills that are crucial to succeeding in any job. 

SEEED's environmental awareness community workshops are designed to properly inform low- to middle-income community residents about energy saving opportunities that will potentially lower their utility costs, equip residents with community organizing skills that will enable them to become more engaged citizens, and provide a space for social capital to prosper. 

SEEED Cores Values:

• Empowerment

• Sustainability 

• Community 

• Pathways to Development 

This is how we define #pathwayoutofpoverty:

Thank you to all of you who have been a support system to SEEED, and we hope you'll continue to do so. And to our potentially newest supports, we want to welcome you to SEEEDVille, where it's always green on this side!

We leave you with this quote: 

"The fate of the living planet is the most important issue facing mankind." - Gaylord Nelson

Until Next Time...

SEEEDVille Staff