Heirloom Seed

How to run a successful seed campaign

Everything you need to know to run a successful seed campaign

Declaration of sovereignty as a not-for-profit entity:

• The CHILDREN’S ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTRE (C.E.E.C.) is a not-for-profit, public service enterprise, serving both local and international communities, governments, and the people of the world, regardless of age, race, creed, or gender and without regard to religious or political affiliation. We believe in the brotherhood of humanity, and we maintain a healthy respect for all living things. We respect equally the male and female principle and discourage gender-based chauvinism.
• The CHILDREN’S ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTRE (C.E.E.C.) operates a community outreach program called “Sustainability Awareness Through Literacy,” in cooperation with it’s “Living Library & Sacred Seed-Bank.”
• The LIVING LIBRARY & SACRED SEED BANK is a collection centre and repository for Sacred Seeds (non-GMO) and related Books focused primarily on Sustainability & Right Livelihood. The Sacred Seed-Bank, serves as a collection centre and repository for Heirloom-Seeds,  Seeds of rare or endangered species, Seeds deemed critical for preserving a broad collection of medicinal and aromatic herbs and plants, as well as other culturally significant Sacred Seed groups; all of which are not of a genetically modified origin; i.e all of our Sacred Seeds are NON-GMO (not genetically modified).
• The CHILDREN’S ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTRE (C.E.E.C.) is the “Community Development and Relief Agency” of the “People’s Renaissance Network.”

Sacred Seed Campaign TOOL KIT – Sustainability Awareness Through Literacy and Sustainable Gardening

• Thank you for supporting this important literacy and sustainability awareness initiative!
• Not only do Sacred Seeds (non-GMO) change lives, they can change an entire community and a nation.
• We can help each other to change the way we live, as we strive to create a more sustainable future for our children.

The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) Sacred Seed Campaign Tool Kit:

How to Organise & Run a Sacred Seed Campaign

• Each time our friends sponsor a Sacred Seed Campaign in a school, business, community, place of worship, or other similar venue, they helps us reach more children with the gift of Sacred Seeds, and the promise of literacy along with increased awareness of sustainable behaviour. We appreciate our Sacred Seed Campaign volunteers; as most of the 1,000,000+ Sacred Seeds that we hope to shelve and share this year will come to us from volunteers who have organised a Sacred Seed Campaign.
• To help you get started, we have put together this Sacred Seed Campaign tool kit—full of tips, materials, website links and other resources. Please contact The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) with your plans and any questions you may have. Knowing your plans will help us with our record keeping, and assures that we can help you in every way possible in your Sacred Seed endeavours.

Step 1: Getting Organised

Here’s a suggested list to start with:

1. Set up a committee of volunteers to assist in the Sacred Seed Campaign.
2. Determine when and where to hold the Sacred Seed Campaign.
3. Determine what type of Sacred Seeds will be collected.
4. Determine the length of the Sacred Seed Campaign.
5. Promote the Sacred Seed Campaign.
6. Clean up after the Sacred Seed Campaign.
7. Deliver the Sacred Seeds to The Living Library (C.E.E.C.).

Step 2: Setting Up a Committee of Volunteers

• The best way to form your committee is to start talking to school mates, co-workers, friends, family and neighbours to generate interest. Contact local areas’ school principals, school and community leaders and librarians, scout troop leaders or religious leaders to ask for their support and participation. Remember that there is strength in numbers!

Step 3: Where and When to Hold Your Sacred Seed Campaign

• After you have formed your committee of volunteers, the next step is to determine when and where to hold your Sacred Seed Campaign.

Where to Hold Your Sacred Seed Campaign

Schools

• If you decide to hold your Sacred Seed Campaign in a school, remember that local schools, especially elementary schools, are among the most important organising hubs for Sustainability Awareness Campaigns, Sacred Seed Campaigns and other literacy promotion events. Principals, teachers and media specialists usually support these kinds of events and will often organise a Sustainability Awareness Campaign and Sacred Seed Campaign in their classroom or institution. Be sure to obtain permission within the school, through the principal or director, before you proceed with Sustainability Awareness Campaign and Sacred Seed Campaign. You may want to request, or print out, copies of the The Living Library’s (C.E.E.C.)’s brochure to share information with others.
• Organising a Sustainability Awareness Campaign and Sacred Seed Campaign in an elementary school is a good way to reach the community because young students will often involve their parents and siblings. It is also a great way for middle and high school students to fulfill community service projects.
• Consider providing an incentive for the class that collects the most Sacred Seeds, or keeping a graph in the school lobby of how many Sacred Seeds are collected by each class and the school as a whole. Remember it’s a group effort.
• Your school may also want to consider creating a Living Library (C.E.E.C.) Club. Please contact us if you would like a free copy of A Guide for Students: How to Successfully Start and Run a Living Library (C.E.E.C.) Club.

Businesses and Service Organisations

• Many local, private companies and service groups, such as scouts, civic clubs and men’s and women’s clubs choose to collect Sacred Seeds and books for The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) and to sponsor a Sustainability Awareness Campaign for families and schools in their area. Running a Sustainability Awareness Campaign and Sacred Seed Campaign can be a great way for corporations or business to fulfill a mission to give back to the community in which they are located. To publicise, you should publish an announcement in your group’s newsletter or calendar; ask them to send out an email to their groups. Call The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) for posters and brochures; or print out information from our website. The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) can also supply boxes and/or envelopes as needed.

Religious Organisations/Places of Worship

• Churches and Synagogues, yoga centres and meditation classes are great places to conduct Sustainability Awareness Campaigns and Sacred Seed Campaigns. Religious school classes or individual students may want to consider running a Sacred Seed Campaign for a confirmation, community service or mitzvah project. Ask religious leaders to assist in promoting your Sacred Seed Campaign by reminding their members of the importance of literacy and Sustainability Awareness Campaigns. Publish an announcement in the organisation’s newsletter or calendar. Make our sustainability awareness flyers and The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) brochures available to the committee, group or congregation.

When to Run Your Sacred Seed Campaign

• Sacred Seed Campaigns can be held any time during the year. Consider holding a Campaign in conjunction with other reading or literacy events in your local church, synagogue, school, social clubs or library, many of which participate in similar annual events that support the community. You may find it most productive to cooperate with garden clubs and flower clubs by contacting them and joining their activities. Networking can be fun, educational and profitable.

Step 4: Determine How Long to Run the Sacred Seed Campaign

• Most Sacred Seed Campaigns run from two weeks to a month. Donors need time to receive the information, go through their personal libraries and get the Sacred Seeds to the collection site. However, there is no set length of time a Sacred Seed Campaign must run. Work with your committee if you have one, and with the venue you have chosen, to determine what’s best for your Sacred Seed Campaign.
• You may also consider a monthly collection, whereby volunteers meet once a month (for example: in the first week) to encourage donors to contribute once a month (during the final week…)

Step 5: Setting Up Your Collection Site

• Boxes or bins, and/or envelopes for Sacred Seed collection should be placed where they will be most visible, such as in an entryway or lobby, or as an alternative, in offices or individual classrooms. Boxes and envelopes should be strong enough to hold a large number of Sacred Seeds; a clean square plastic storage bin works quite well. Sacred Seeds can be transferred into smaller boxes (such as banker or computer paper boxes) once the bin is full. Boxes with cut-out handles work best (such fruit crates i.e. for oranges or apples). It is a good idea to have one person be responsible for checking the collection bin periodically during the Sacred Seed Campaign. If needed, The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) can help you to locate and/or provide boxes.
• Posters advertising the Sacred Seed Campaign should be placed by the Sacred Seed collection bin, and in prominent areas around the venue. Posters can be requested from The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) or designed by students. Remember to include the start and end dates of the collection, the site(s) of the collection, the name and contact info. for the organisers of the Sustainability Awareness Campaign and the The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) phone number and our web site and email address for anyone wanting more information.
• We also have brochures available that can be placed near the collection box(es). Work with your committee to determine the best way to distribute flyers, hang posters, advertise in your organisation’s newsletter and/or local newspapers.
• Note: If you wish to submit a press release to the local newspaper to publicise your Sacred Seed Campaign, please contact The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) first; it is our policy to review all press releases before they are sent to the media. You may email our, Communications Coordinator, at and forward your release to us in either an attached word document or in the body of the email.

Step 6: Promoting Your Sacred Seed Campaign and Sustainability Awareness Campaign

Here are some helpful hints regarding publicity:

1. Write a press release: Include who, what, when, where, how and why. This should not exceed 400 words and should be sent out in plain text via email. Some papers prefer the information to be in the body of an email; others want attachments. For information, call the individual papers, or you may call our staff at The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) for assistance. Don’t forget to place your information in your school or business newsletter. Again, remember to send your press release to us at The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) for review before submitting it to any paper. We’d appreciate your sending us a copy for our files of any news releases or articles that get printed thereafter.
2. Make follow-up phone calls: Follow up with a phone call once your have emailed your press release or newsletter piece to ensure it has been received. Call no later than a week in advance of the Sacred Seed Campaign. Refer the reporter or editor to the The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) website for more information, or suggest that they call The Living Library (C.E.E.C.). Lastly, make sure you have given your name and phone number in case of any additional questions.
3. Take photos: Newspapers love photos, especially shots of children. A good photo can be used to publicise an upcoming event, or to recognise a successfully completed one, and can often help get your information printed. We suggest that you stage your shots, make sure they’re good quality (300 dpi is best), and email them in a jpeg format. We encourage you to send photos to The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) as well. We use them in our printed materials (newsletters, annual reports, brochures) and press releases to raise awareness, generate interest and thank groups for organising Sacred Seed Campaigns and other benefits that support our programs. Please sign and return to us by mail or fax a release of information for each person photographed (parents must sign for minor children); you can download the form from the website.

Step 7: Once the Sacred Seed Campaign is Over

• Though it is not necessary, counting the Sacred Seeds is extremely helpful to us. If your Sacred Seed Campaign involves students, they are usually excited to discover how many Sacred Seeds they have collected. Sacred Seeds should be packed in manageable boxes or sturdy bags as noted above and delivered to the The Living Library (C.E.E.C.). Please contact the The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) office in advance to schedule a time and day that is convenient. If you are unable to deliver the Sacred Seeds, we can arrange to pick them up. Remember to remove posters, etc. if necessary (if you used a temporary location), from walls once the Sacred Seed Campaign is finished.

Thank you for your support.

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Sacred Seed Campaigns & Collection!

Sacred Seeds and more Sacred Seeds … We need more Sacred Seeds!

We are conducting a Sacred Seed Campaign to collect Seeds  to share with children and their families. Seed Saver Campaigns and fundraising events benefit the community service programs offered by of The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) and its Sacred Seed-Bank We are a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting sustainability awareness through early literacy programs.

Just send us your favourite collections Sacred Seeds or drop them off at our Sacred Seed Campaign collection boxes that are situated in various locations. The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) & Sacred Seed-Bank will take care of the rest. Please remember to label all seeds collections in exquisite detail so that we can catalogue them accordingly. Through The Living Library (C.E.E.C.)’s various programs and partnerships, our Sacred Seeds will be redistributed throughout the world as gifts to needy children and families and educational institutions. They are also networked through paediatric primary care centres, childcare centres, schools and other programs serving communities in need. We accept any and all Sacred Seeds, but some Sacred Seeds which are not deemed appropriate for our activities may be sold to wholesalers and funds derived from these sales will be used to purchase other Sacred Seeds or to support administrative costs and other operating expenses.

Next Sacred Seed Campaign will be held:

When: _____________________________________________

Where: ____________________________________________

Contact: ___________________________________________

Find out more about The Living Library (C.E.E.C.) at http://www.mtdna.wordpress.com or contact us.

Thank you for supporting this important literacy initiative!

Not only do Sacred Seeds change lives, they can change an entire community and a nation.

Let’s help each other  to change the way we all live.