Seeds of Hope is working to make a difference in the lives of children and families throughout the Middle East. Founded in 2006, Seeds of Hope works with local citizens and charities to provide modern day necessities to the impoverished communities in the Arab world. Our desire is to bring long-term change to families through education, economic development, cultural exchange, and humanitarian aid.

Seeds of Hope is currently working to plant a cultural learning center and daycare/kindergarten school in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The learning center will provide an impetus for educating not only the young children, but also provide an opportunity to train teachers and their assistants in early childhood education and the English language, which is an essential tool for securing a good paying job.
Currently, there are no English daycare/kindergarten schools in these areas other than the one we founded last year in the city of Kza’ah. We are also working to bring micro-businesses to these areas. Because of economic conditions in the Gaza Strip and in Jericho, West Bank, Palestinians have difficulty finding employment. This means that families suffer a limited financial base. This project will provide a steady income for Palestinian managers and their employees. Training will be given to these small business owners to insure their success.
Once such opportunity which Seeds of Hope has already helped partner is several cyber cafes. These shops provide local residents with a way to access the internet at reduced cost. A landscaping business has also been financed in the Gaza Strip.
At this time the Palestinian Authority is desperate to see the area stabilized, and growing businesses will help this to come about.

Taysir Saada, Founder and President of Seeds of Hope, was born in Palestine in 1951. As a result of the continued conflict in Israel, his parents fled to Saudi Arabia. In 1974 he migrated to the United States to pursue his dreams.

Amazed at the freedom and prosperity of the United States, he dove into the world of fine dining where he found a job as a dishwasher at a prominent French restaurant at the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. With his charm and desire to pursue more knowledge about the industry he quickly climbed the ranks to management, ultimately becoming the owner of the same establishment where he once began as the dishwasher.

Although he enjoyed his life in the US, the love in his heart for his people was beating harder and louder. In 2008, it was becoming increasingly clear to him that more needed to be done to help his people. The Arab people had for so long lived among the violence and poverty, the thought of peace and freedom had become a hopeless dream. Tass founded Seeds of Hope in order to combat that hopelessness which has hindered his people from enjoying life.

At Seeds of Hope, we recognize that the only way to provide these God-given rights to the Arab people is to physically instill hope into their communities. We believe that through providing simple things such as water and food, we can also show them a more profitable way of living. Every man has the right to work and every man has the right to pursue happiness. Our goal is to stimulate those rights in the people of the Middle East, prompting them to contribute to society; consequently, establishing a working community that gives hope where once there was none.

Charles N. Sharpe - Chairman of the Board
An entrepeneur by trade, Charles Sharpe founded Ozark National Life Inusrance Company in 1964. Today it has grown into one of the most stable and prolific insurance companies in the nation. Along with his insurance company, Mr. Sharpe founded Sharpe Land and Cattle, an 18,000 acre farm that operates the largest dairy in the state of Missouri. In 1995, Mr. Sharpe founded CNS International Ministries, Inc. and the campus of Heartland Community to reach out to hurting men, women, and youth who need a fresh start in life. CNS Ministries is the home of micro-businesses such as Heartland Creamery, Ozark Lodge and Steakhouse, New Creation Country Store, Solid Rock Cafe, Cleansing Waters Laundry, and Scribbles & Scribes Ink. Mr. Sharpe and his wife Laurie make their home on Heartland's campus and are active in their ministry of promoting hope in lives where there once was none.

Taysir Abu Saada - President and Founder of Seeds of Hope/ Vice President of the Board/C.O.O.
Mr. Abu Saada founded Seeds of Hope, Inc., a registered 501c3, in 2006 to meet the needs of the people in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Israel. He is presently a member of the board of CNS International Ministries, Inc. and has served on that board since 1998. He was born in the Gaza Strip and grew up in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In 1974, he emigrated to the U.S. met and married his wife, Karen, and became an American citizen in 1979. He spent years in the restaurant and hotel industries in Kansas City, MO, and Los Angeles, CA. Trained in five star service and management, Mr. Abu Saada managed a Classic French Restaurant, La Mediterrane, for fifteen years and then became an assistant food and beverage director for Westin Hotels and Resorts in Kansas City, at the Westin Crown Center and in Los Angeles at the Westin Hotel and Towers, Century City. In 1997, he joined CNS International Ministries, Inc. where developed two restaurants, a lodge and managed all the food operations for the large campus. Taysir and Karen have been married for 34 years, have two children and three grandchildren. Currently, he and his wife are living and working in the Middle East where they serve the people of Gaza, the West Bank and Israel.

David Barton - Member of Board
Mr. Barton has more than 25 years experience in management. He received his B.S Degree in Industrial Technology and is currently pursuing his Masters Degree. Mr. Barton serves on the Administrative Council for Heartland Christian College and is also a board member for the Shelby County Economic Development.

Allan Hedrick - Member of Board
Allan Hedrick has more than 35 years experience in global medical device start-up and emerging growth companies. He was a founder, CEO, President and Board member of AccelerTec, BraceTec, IntraLuminal Therapeutics and ADH Marketing and a senior executive for Novatrix, InterVentional Therapeutics, Oximetrix, Riverain, and NDM. His responsibilities have included all phases of new concept R&D, product development, regulatory, clinical trials, operations, finance, and sales/marketing. His knowledge of worldwide markets, familiarity with large companies’ acquisition decision-makers, and experience in structuring and raising equity financing enable him to achieve rapid value-creation for accelerated acquisition potential. He has had various directorship positions in four churches in California and Kansas and he has traveled to many countries in Europe and the 10-40 window on various projects.

Dean Callison - Member of Board
A financial planner for more than 20 years, Dean Callison joined Avant as Vice President of Development in 2003. Mr. Callison is responsible for donor relations, fundraising, and the oversight of Avant's public relations and media efforts. Mr. Callison has a long history with Avant, as his parents served with Avant from the mid 1960’s until they retired in 2003. He grew up on the field in southeast Alaska at Echo Ranch Bible Camp. He attended both Philadelphia College of the Bible and Taylor University, where he earned degrees in business and economics. After graduating from Taylor, Mr. Callison spent some time working on real estate projects in Northern California and the Kansas City area, then entered the financial planning industry in 1988 through Midwestern Financial Group in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1990 he ventured out as an independent financial planner. He obtained his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) professional designation in 1992 and remains an active member in good standing with a number or professional associations. He is a Registered Representative with First Heartland Capital, Inc. in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri, which is a member of the FINRA and SIPC. Dean and his wife, Diane, have been married for more than 20 years and have three daughters.