Seeds for Change founder Stacy Ehrlich has another project successfully completed – this time the project’s collaborative partners proved to be close to her home and heart. Stacy’s teenage daughter has authored and published a bilingual children’s story – Chuy El Chihuahua. Simms based Chuy on childhood bedtime stories told to her by her dad.

Simms has donated over 800 books to local non-profits – all current and former Seeds for Change clients. SFCC team member Sarah Andrews was the lead graphic designer and high school friend Chloe Ezell brought the book to life with her colored illustrations. Stacy guided Simms in launching a late fall 2018 Kickstarter campaign to raise over $5,600, made possible through the generous support of 89 backers. You can read more about the project from the BookSpring November blog post https://www.bookspring.org/2018/11/chuy-el-chihuahua-a-kickstarter-campaign/.

Local non-profits receiving Chuy books include BookSpring, Partnerships for Children, The Jeremiah Project, and People’s Community Clinic. Simms will be doing a select number of in-person storybook reading engagements throughout Spring 2019 including National Charity League – Hills of Austin Chapter and several BookSpring Title 1 partner schools. A select number of books are available for purchase in 2019 at Austin book retailers BookPeople and Over the Rainbow.

Guiding her daughter through a successful philanthropic project as well as networking and connecting all of the project partners were Stacy's biggest achievements for this project. Developing a homegrown community service "do gooder" and philanthropic champion was icing on the proverbial cake.