Seed Pack-It Record Set

The families of River Church Community of San Jose, California took advent a little farther this year. After a children’s story time contrasting the ideals of Christmas with the consumerism promoted in malls and advertisements, the community put together 700 backpacks of school supplies to send to children in a desperately poor area near Tijuana, Mexico.  This set a record for the highest number of Seed Pack-Its assembled in one location on one day.

“The beauty of what happened out in San Jose stems from more than just the number of backpacks they managed to assemble,” said SixSeeds co-founder Jean Kingston.  “It’s the fact that families were able to take some time out of this holiday season and give back to others… to kids who otherwise might not even have pencils to use at school next year.”

The event also epitomized the SixSeeds belief that values are best transferred when people of all ages come together and serve, side by side, because all ages were able to participate.  Young kids worked on cards to include in the backpacks, while older teens packed and loaded the finished backpacks in a truck. Parents worked alongside their children and others in the church community helped out as well.

“Kids simply don’t understand that your bank account is drafted by your favorite non-profit every month," said SixSeed co-founder John Kingston.  "They don’t get what it means to write a check.  But if they work alongside their parents, shirt sleeves rolled up, they finally begin to understand what generosity and service look like… in action.  And many are surprised to find out that it’s actually quite fun.”

By all accounts, River Church Community had a great deal of fun.

Plus, helping out people in need turned out to be surprisingly affordable.  SixSeeds partnered with world-wide humanitarian organization World Vision and the office supply superstore Staples to provide school supplies at a cost substantially below the $60 value of the supplies the Tijuana children will receive.   Which is really beneficial since children in the impoverished city area lack the basic necessities for everyday life and school.  

The Chang family, who are long-term friends of the Kingstons, had seen this need with their own eyes.  In 2007, they traveled to this squatter community on a SixSeeds/World Vision trip designed to include kids ranging from 3 to 14.  The children were able to participate at just about every level, especially the work.  Along with their parents, they focused on rehabilitating the local school, getting it ready for the new school year and furnishing it with a year’s worth of supplies. Most importantly, they played, ate, and laughed with the people of Las Palmas.

Even though the Changs are now back home in the relative comfort of their California home, they haven’t forgotten the people in Las Palmas.

After all of the work organizing the event at River Community Church, Curtis stood back and surveyed the enormous stacks of backpacks his family and friends had assembled.  The event was a big hit in the community, and a record-setter for SixSeeds.

“That was really great,” he said. “It was fun that we all could serve together.”

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