What is Dreamseeds?

Dreamseeds began in 2000 as a single collaboration with the renowned Garth Fagan Dance Company in an effort to provide cultural dance opportunities to the children who reside at Sojourner House. Since that time, Dreamseeds has evolved into a comprehensive set of enrichment programs for children that includes a growing list of partners and disciplines.

Although Sojourner House was founded upon a desire to serve women, it has given increased attention to the children who accompany their mothers — children who have experienced many crises in their short lifetimes related to family separation, abuse, domestic violence, community violence, and poverty.

At Sojourner House, we invest our resources in the Dreamseeds program because the stability of our women is directly connected with the stability of their children, and our mission is to build healthy families.

In-House Children's Program

This program provides structured children's activities every weeknight evening for the children of current residents of our transitional housing program. These constructive activities enhance social skills and interaction, stimulate creativity, and give them exposure to new and different experiences in the community.

Study Buddy

The Study Buddy program, which pairs Sojourner House children up with volunteer tutors, assists them with their school work in order to increase academic performance and self-esteem, get them excited about learning, and provide adult mentoring relationships.

Saturdays at Sojourner

This program provides arts and cultural opportunities to Sojourner House children, thereby improving their self-esteem, creativity, and emotional growth. Classes in creative art, creative writing, music, and dance are taught by talented artists and professionals at Sojourner House every Saturday throughout the school year.

Summer Camp

Our summer camp program provides productive, healthy, and educational activities during the summer months through a variety of providers, such as the YMCA, Girl Scouts, DEC (environmental camp), and Salvation Army.

Back to School Project

Each year in August, Sojourner House hosts a back-to-school event for all of our graduates and their children. At this event, which includes a picnic and children's activities, we provide approximately 225 children with new backpacks filled with school supplies for the coming year.