On any given weekend across the Greater Columbus area, toddlers are packing lunch sacks on a table while elementary schoolers carefully tuck handwritten notes or cards into care kits. Parents kneel beside them, guiding big hearts and small hands. It may look like a simple service project. In reality, it’s something much bigger. It is an investment in the future of our community.
For the past decade, Seeds of Caring has empowered children between the ages of 2 to 12 to become change-makers through hands-on service, social action, and community-building experiences. Last year alone, more than 57,000 youth volunteer experiences were logged with schools and families, contributing over 71,000 volunteer hours.
The organization partners with local nonprofits to identify real community needs, such as food insecurity, houselessness, environmental stewardship, and senior social isolation. Age-appropriate programming is designed to allow even the youngest children to understand these needs and contribute in meaningful ways.
“What’s incredible about young kids is that they naturally want to be helpers. They want to play an important role and have a purpose. All we have to do is provide them those opportunities and the way they run with that is incredible,” Founder and Executive Director Brandy Jemczura says.
In 2025, children helped deliver more than 10,000 sack lunches and created 8,000 care kits for neighbors in need. Yet the most lasting impact isn’t measured in lunches or kits.
Jemczura, whose background in social work and education inspired the organization’s creation, believes the early years are critical for shaping empathy in our children — and the impact on our community is tremendous.
“When we can give kids that foundational focus on empathy, on kindness, on connecting with others, it carries forward to create stronger people but also stronger communities,” Jemczura says.
Empathy is not simply a character trait, it is a civic skill. Children who develop strong social-emotional competencies develop resiliency, experience healthier relationships, and are better equipped to navigate differences. Empathy fosters belonging. It reduces isolation. It strengthens neighborhoods and schools by encouraging people to look beyond themselves and recognize shared humanity.
Seeds of Caring approaches social issues thoughtfully and intentionally. Through guided conversations and hands-on action, young participants learn about challenges facing their neighbors in ways that empower rather than overwhelm. They learn that nobody is too small to make a difference.
“We are building empathy,” Jemczura explains. “We’re building leadership skills. Kindness, personal responsibility, and civic awareness.”
And results are tangible. Ninety-eight percent of grown-ups report their children increased their knowledge and understanding of community needs through participation and ninety-five percent say they see more frequent acts of empathy.
But the ripple effect extends even further. Children who participate often bring their experiences back to classmates and teachers, encouraging friends — or the school itself — to get involved. Small actions multiply, planting the seeds of broader shifts toward kindness and responsibility.
Participation through Seeds of Caring designed to be accessible. Families can attend in-person events with community partners or engage through Anywhere Programs, which offer step-by-step guides for at-home service projects. You can view available school and family programs — or make a material donation — at seedsofcaring.org.
In a time when division feels loud and persistent, Seeds of Caring offers a powerful alternative: invest in raising children who understand community challenges and believe that they have the power to solve problems and create change.
These acts of kindness today matter. Seeds of Caring isn’t only meeting immediate needs — it is cultivating a generation prepared to care deeply and act boldly. They are creating a brighter, more connected future for our community.
“When we can give kids that foundational focus on empathy, on kindness, on connecting with others, it carries forward to create stronger people but also stronger communities,” - Founder and Executive Director Brandy Jemczura