As I Plant This Seed

As I Plant This Seed is a faith-based organization, taking its name from the writings of St. Paul in the Christian New Testament: 1 Corinthians 3: 6-7: I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The organization is a successful grass roots response to the systemic problems of poverty, violence, a failing school system, and inadequate governmental assistance. It was founded in 2012 by CEO Ryan Harris, who has built a strong team of volunteer leaders, many of whom began as children in the program and now, as alumni, have become mentors, teachers, coaches, and organizers.

Its physical location is a rowhouse, dubbed “The Treehouse,” which enrolls (annually) over 70 children ages 5 through 18. Younger children find a safe place to talk, play, be mentored, and receive an education. Self-esteem grows, and youth are mentored into leadership, financial literacy, creativity (e.g., making videos, art, music, etc.) and how to start a business. Special events often draw over 500 attendees and feature popular music groups and motivational speakers. As I Plant This Seed is addressing the root causes of violence and creating a generation of educated, confident, and talented leaders in the Hunting Park neighborhood and beyond. It is, indeed, a Zone of Peace.