What We Do
Breaking barriers, one backpack at a time.
Seeds to Dreams is dedicated to providing fully stocked backpacks and meaningful resources to students in underserved communities, ensuring that every child begins the school year with the tools, confidence, and dignity they deserve.
Hi, I’m Odallis Rivera.
A Puerto Rican woman whose path through higher education has been anything but linear. I started college more than once, pausing, trying again, and switching majors along the way. Life often had other plans. I was working one, sometimes two jobs just to keep going. Because how do you pay for college without signing your future away in student loans, especially when survival comes first?
Still, I continue the work of building a future rooted in purpose, not prestige. I want to advocate for the underserved, the overlooked, and those whose futures are shaped by what they lack.
That is where Seeds to Dreams begins.
I was raised by parents who made something out of nothing, every single time. They did not just provide. They protected our dignity. Every August, no matter what bills were due or what sacrifices had to be made, they made sure my sister and I had the best and trendiest school supplies. Crayons with all the colors. Fresh notebooks. Backpacks with zippers that worked. We had the kind of supplies that made you feel like you belonged. To the world, we looked ready. But I knew, even at a young age, what it cost them. The pressure. The sacrifice. The burden they carried quietly so we would never have to.
I remember often sharing my supplies, or sometimes even giving them away to classmates who did not have any. In my mind, it felt simple. If we had these, I figured I could just get more. How silly of me. I must have been a financial nightmare to my parents. But that is how generous they made our world feel. Even when things were tight, they made sure we never felt it. They taught us that starting with the right tools can change how you walk into the world. They gave us more than supplies. They gave us self worth.
And I always wondered about the kids who did not have that. The students whose supplies were hand me downs, worn, torn, barely holding together. The ones who did not raise their hands because they did not have a pencil.
The ones who showed up already feeling behind, not because of their ability, but because of what they were handed. It may sound small. But we know better. It starts there, because a backpack is not just a bag. It is a message. It says you matter. You are seen. You belong here, and you deserve the chance to thrive.
At Seeds to Dreams, we provide fully stocked backpacks and resources so children can walk into school prepared and proud. But what we offer goes beyond supplies. We offer dignity, confidence, and a sense of readiness. A quiet reminder that they belong.
Because in a world that can be cold, heavy, and unforgiving, broken supplies should not be one more thing a child has to carry.
Hi, I’m Nyomilee Hernandez.
As the Communications Manager at Seeds to Dreams, I connect with companies and partners to support our mission of providing children with the tools and resources they need to succeed in school. In this role, I help build partnerships that allow us to provide fully stocked backpacks and resources so students can walk into school prepared, confident, and ready to thrive.
I’ve been fortunate to grow up never worrying about having the right school supplies or resources. That stability allowed me to focus on my academics, take advanced classes, and participate in programs that exposed me to opportunities beyond the classroom. As an incoming college freshman, I recognize how much those advantages shaped my path and prepared me for the next step in my education, and I don’t take that for granted.
At the same time, I come from a community where many students don’t have the same advantages I’ve had, yet they are just as capable, ambitious, and deserving of opportunities. I’ve seen that firsthand, and it’s something that’s always stayed with me. It’s hard to ignore once you see it up close. Knowing that motivates me to help bridge that gap. Being part of Seeds to Dreams allows me to help make sure other children, regardless of their circumstances, have access to the tools and resources that can make a real difference in their education and confidence. As part of the next generation, I also feel a responsibility to use what I have to help create more opportunity for others.
I believe that having the right tools is more than just getting supplies. It’s about being able to show up, participate, and not feel behind from the start. It’s about confidence, and feeling like you belong in the space you’re in. Those small things can shape how someone sees themselves over time. Through my work in communications, I’m proud to help make that possible for students who need it most, and to be part of something that creates real change, even in small ways.