We recently connected with Melissa Rodriguez and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Melissa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.
Seeds of Love, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, exists to serve the underserved by providing encouragement and support to displaced, homeless, and low-income families within Northeast Florida. Understanding that unexpected situations, such as illness, divorce, a natural disaster, job loss, and economic uncertainties can affect anyone’s financial situation at any moment, we provide essential items to those who have fallen on difficult times needing a hand up while they work toward becoming self-sufficient again.
Recognizing that many in our outreach feel deflated because of their circumstances, we aim to help restore individual dignity by providing new items. A recent story is of a young man who was released from jail and needed clothes to apply for employment. His case worker informed us that he cried when he received his clothes and told her no one had ever provided him with new things before. In everything we do and provide, we want those we serve, such as this young man, to know they are a first thought, not an afterthought.
We assist 2-4 struggling families a week, and also partner with aligned nonprofits and organizations through monthly community events to increase the value of our combined impact.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’ve always had a heart for community outreach and desire to make it my life’s work. During a church fundraising planning meeting in late 2017, my husband and I met a young lady who expressed interest in wanting to help, but stated she was unemployed with no income. She however began telling us about free items she was receiving through Amazon and brought some the following week, including new baby items, comforter sets, camping items, and more. We were blown away at how nice they were and ended up raising over $2,500, mostly due to her donated items. Shortly after the event, we had a vision of God pouring out seed from His hands and realized He wanted us to reach our community by providing essential items to those in need. Seeds of Love was born!
Over the past five years and especially since becoming a 501(c)(3) in March 2021, we’ve had the honor of serving and providing essential items to roughly 200 individuals a month within Northeast Florida. This includes clothing, shoes, baby items, cookware, linens, laundry/household/hygiene items, and much more. Our incredible all-volunteer team shops year-round securing highly discounted items to ensure that every donated dollar is stretched as far as it can to reach those in need.
From January-September 2023, Seeds of Love assisted 134 displaced, homeless, and low-income families along with partnering with other organizations to co-host and participate in 9 community outreach events. The retail value of everything we distributed during this timeframe was over $120K while our cost was just over $25K.
We thoroughly enjoy serving our community not just meeting essential needs, but also providing love, encouragement, and hope. No matter the situation, we want those we serve to know they matter and are truly loved.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I’ve struggled with chronic pain for many years, particularly over the past 10 years, and was medically retired in 2021. There are many days I’m exhausted and days I’m discouraged wanting to stay in bed. However, thinking of the smiles of those we serve and knowing the impact we’re making in our community keeps me going. Serving others is truly medicine for my soul!
I also have an amazing, supportive husband, family, and team who walk alongside and encourage me, especially during those not-so-great days. So, I refuse to give up and will serve my community as long as the Lord allows me to.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Genuine love for serving others, authenticity, transparency, and being people of our word have helped build our reputation within the community and in our partnerships with other organizations. These pillars are crucial for success and building long lasting relationships.
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