On a Mission to Fix the Country’s Zip Code Problem

If you’re born in one zip code, you have a million opportunities, access to an excellent education and resources. And if you’re born in another, it’s a very different experience.

It’s what my friend and longtime colleague John Castano calls the zip code problem. Solving that problem is at the heart of the nonprofit education access organization he leads: SEEDS, which has transformed the lives of nearly 3,000 high-achieving students from underserved communities by giving them what their zip code denied them--opportunity.

I recently sat down with John, and we spoke about the stories that still inspire him, the lessons the organization learned during the pandemic, the future of education and SEEDS and much more. Below are short videos that I invite you to watch and from which you will undoubtedly learn and draw inspiration.

Defining the Zip Code Problem

At its core, the mission of SEEDS is to level the playing field. What has surprised me the most is that within this greater metropolitan New York area, an area of great wealth, economic growth and opportunity, there are such disparate outcomes. Here John describes SEEDS’s unique approach to addressing the zip code problem.

Undeniably Moving Stories

Over the nearly ten years I’ve supported SEEDS, I’ve met hundreds of incredibly gifted and inspiring young people as they overcame so much and succeeded in their areas of studies and career. As a parent, what has always moved me most are those same stories but told by the parents. The hope and love in their voices stay with you.

John is a gifted storyteller, and when he talks about these amazing students and their stories, it is infectious.?

The Next 30 Years

It’s a double-anniversary year for me. Verisk celebrates its 50th anniversary, and SEEDS marks 30 years of strengthening our communities and economy by changing students’ lives. It started around a kitchen table in New Jersey, and from that SEEDS has gone on to place students in some of the country’s most prestigious universities, including Yale, Harvard, Princeton and Columbia. These students become doctors, engineers, attorneys, researchers, educators and, perhaps most telling, SEEDS supporters.

In this short video, John describes his goals and vision to propel the organization forward.

The Education Crisis & the Pandemic

The pandemic hit the education sector especially hard. COVID underscored the disparities and created new challenges. Suddenly, students needed technology for remote education, as well as emotional support to stay focused and engaged at a tumultuous time in history.?

It has been a great honor working with John and the SEEDS team. Earlier this year, Verisk signed a three-year agreement in support of SEEDS. Many of my colleagues at Verisk are learning about the organization and discovering ways they can support SEEDS students, such as participating in mock interviews and a data science workshop with SEEDS Scholars. I know they’ll have a similar experience to mine. I’ve learned a phenomenal amount, gained a deep appreciation for the work this amazing group is doing and an understanding of the gaps we, as a society, must overcome.

The statistics and stories are overwhelming. But the stories of doors being opened for young people, who then do the same for the next generations, fill me with optimism and hope.

To learn more about SEEDS, visit https://seedsaccess.org/.