From the very beginning, we wanted Seeds of Hope to be a safe place for children and families in our community. We wanted them to find encouragement, hope, and unconditional love. But that didn’t stop at the people we serve—we realized quickly that the environment we created for our staff would be critical to how we could serve our city.
Over the past decade, we’ve worked hard on our staff culture. We’ve invested in building strong relationships, reinforcing our core values, and ensuring that our staff are cared for in challenging times. Our reputation in the community is that our employees love to work at Seeds of Hope.
But we wanted to hear directly from them. So, we conducted an anonymous staff-wide survey of almost all our employees in Jericho. From the daycare all the way up to the school counselors and Cultural Center staff. We wanted them to share how they honestly felt about their working environment.
“I am always impressed that people flock to Seeds of Hope for employment opportunities,” said Fuad Jaddou, Director of Community Outreach at Seeds of Hope. “So many are willing to leave their present jobs to work with us. It’s not because we offer the highest pay—our pay is average for Jericho. In addition to that, there is a lot of responsibility for people who come to work here. It’s not for the faint of heart.”
“The survey revealed to us why,” said Fuad. “They find peace and comfort in their positions. They are respected and valuable. They have clarity around their role and responsibilities. And they believe with their whole hearts that they are making a positive change to the future generations.”
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Over and over, the same feedback showed up on our survey: love, mutual respect, family atmosphere. I can be myself here. I feel appreciated.
Q: Has working at Seeds of Hope impacted you personally? If so, what has changed?
A: I’ve changed my whole thinking and lifestyle for the better.
Q: How do you rate your overall satisfaction with working at Seeds of Hope?
A: As a teacher, I have never missed my shift. This passion stems from the mutual love and respect between all of us.
Q: Are there any challenges you face in your daily work at Seeds of Hope?
A: The only problem I have is that I am attached to the place and the students. They have become like my second family that I cannot do without.
The responses blew us away. We were also grateful for small issues the survey brought to our attention that we could address and even better resource our staff.
We know that the success of Seeds of Hope rises and falls—at least in part—on our staff culture. Specifically, in our school, it’s what sets us apart from other schools in the area and draws families to us who may not otherwise be receptive to our worldview. So we’ve worked hard to invest in our staff and cultivate a healthy culture.
“I’ve been visiting Seeds of Hope consistently since 2009,” shared Mark Crosslin, Chairman of the Seeds of Hope Board of Directors. “I’ve noticed a change in the teachers and staff in the last few years. They’re more positive. You see a joy in the team when you’re there—even in times of incredible difficulty.”
Recently, when Mark was in Jericho, he got to talk with Nana, one of our newer teachers. She expressed how grateful she was to work at Seeds of Hope and how the experience is changing her. Nana was raised a devout Muslim, like the majority of families in Jericho, but has recently started to show interest in Christianity. She removed her hijab and told Mark she doesn’t connect as much to her old beliefs. The relationships with her Seeds of Hope coworkers are starting to open her eyes to different ideas about God and religion.
“As a teacher in the Seeds of Hope school, I honestly don’t feel like it’s a job or work as much as I truly feel it’s a home,” Nana shared. “Whenever someone asks me where I work, I tell them passionately about my job with pride and gratitude as if it’s literally my own school. The environment is filled with pure, unconditional love. It’s about unity and bringing brightness to our community. Seeds of Hope not only gave me the hope of an uplifted future but has shown me what love feels like and looks like.”
It’s so encouraging to see the time and effort we’ve put into our staff culture pay off in such impactful ways. We know that the life-changing work of Seeds of Hope isn’t just about the families we serve but everyone we come in contact with.
