Future SEDES are:

Selfless
Equalizing
Deliberate actions that show an
Expectation for future
Success

They aren’t acts of charity. They are long-term. For example, when I wanted to go back to college, I ordered transcripts from the university I’d attended and realized that I hadn’t filled out the withdrawal paperwork for the semester I had medical issues (ICU for me and my youngest son). I’d failed the semester, which dropped my GPA to an unacceptable level for financial aid. I couldn’t go back to school without financial aid. Instead of telling me, “Well, you just have to fix this if you want to go back to school,” the admissions advisor sat down with me, helped me find the appeal process for the college I’d gone to, helped me fill out the paperwork, and gather needed documents to prove my circumstances. She even paid for the postage for me to mail it. I wasn’t stupid or unwilling to fill out the paperwork. I just didn’t even know that an appeal process existed, much less how to get through it!

Did you break the poverty cycle or are you in the process of breaking the poverty cycle? Would you be willing to share a story about a person who helped you by planting a future SEDE? I would like to begin sharing these kinds of stories on the Future SEDEs Facebook page (completely anonymously, of course, unless you want to send a public thank you to someone). Please email your story to larinamichelle(at)gmail.com using subject line “My Future SEDE.”

Help others See Potential and SEDE Tomorrow!