Our Story

How it started

Sowing Seeds Outside the Walls started with a question. In May of 2020, our founder, Antwon Nixon, felt something missing in our community and asked God for direction. What came back was a call to take the church outside — literally. He founded Church Outside the Walls, and every fifth Sunday we'd move worship into a local park, open to whoever wanted to come.

That instinct — giving on purpose, with purpose — grew into Sowing Seeds Outside the Walls. We built a board, filed for nonprofit status, and became an official 501(c)(3). Antwon even hand-drew our logo before we had it professionally digitized and copyrighted through the Library of Congress.

From there, the work took shape. Every fifth Saturday became Community Day — free food, games, bounce houses, water slides, a chance for neighbors to just be together. We started mentoring young boys in the trades, in leadership, in what it means to take care of where you live. Some of those boys helped clean up Chatman Mobley Park; several turned their whole trajectory around and got rewarded for it with a trip to Washington, D.C. — first flights for most of them, meetings with government officials, a visit to the White House.

We didn't stop with the boys. The following year we started to reach other men in the community who'd hit hard times and needed a way back. We chartered a bus and took a group of 25 men, along with several of the First Five boys, to D.C. Some of them had never left Georgia. Several of the men had served anywhere from 15 to 30 years in prison. The overall group ranged from 10 to 70 years of age. They came back having learned something about networking, about fatherhood, about giving back instead of just getting by. They came back inspired!

Along the way, we adopted a local park and rebuilt its basketball court from the ground up - new goals, new backboards, and a fresh coat of paint and donated all equipment to the county for the use and betterment of the community. In 2024, we purchased that park outright from the county as a seed investment opportunity to pour ownership back into the community. We partnered with other nonprofits for toy drives, summer sports camps and school supply giveaways. Since founding Sowing Seeds and establishing the need for the common good, several other organizations have sprouted and blossomed crediting us as being the inspiration to give back.

And none of this is finished. It's just the beginning of what giving on purpose, with purpose looks like around here.

Board & Leadership

The people sowing the seeds

Meet the board and leaders behind Sowing Seeds Outside the Walls.

Founder & Director

Antwon Nixon

Antwon Nixon is a social entrepreneur and environmental justice activist, who established Sowing Seeds Outside the Walls in 2020, following twelve years as a CSX diesel locomotive electrician and a sudden shift in his career. He purchased his childhood community park from Charlton County where he grew up because he believes that self-education paves the way and ownership is essential for revitalizing a community that has been overlooked. Through skilled trades training and financial literacy, he aims to provide the young men in his community with a stronger foundation. During the day, he works as a Tech 3 Electrician at LSI, where he maintains Blackhawk helicopters.

Nicole Smith

Executive Administrator

For three years, Nicole has kept Sowing Seeds running behind the scenes. She works alongside the Director to coordinate calendars, organize board events, and keep strategic agendas on track. She's also the person who keeps internal teams talking to each other. She measures her success less by numbers than by the quality of the relationships she builds, and she says Sowing Seeds is the right place for someone who loves supporting others.

Ebony Garard

Director of Communications & Marketing

Ebony tells the Sowing Seeds story and makes sure it reaches the people the organization exists to serve. She promotes the programs and events and builds engagement between the organization and the wider community. She's also the team's photographer, capturing the people and moments that show the mission at work. To her, Sowing Seeds means investing in people today so they can grow and change things for the better tomorrow.

Lakesha Nixon

Board Member & Program Coordinator

Lakesha describes her life as anchored in faith, family, service, and purpose. She works as a Medical Claims Specialist, investigating and processing insurance claims so people are paid fairly under their policies. For Sowing Seeds, she handles travel arrangements and event logistics, along with the many small details that make community days happen. She's committed to the growth and welfare of the community she serves.

Aileen Gibbs

Board Member

Aileen is an entrepreneur, community advocate, and beauty and wellness professional focused on helping people move forward with confidence and direction. She helps coordinate Sowing Seeds community events and initiatives. She was a founding member, board director, and president of a Community Development Corporation in Jacksonville, where she saw lives redirected and neighborhoods strengthened. She now brings that experience to a new community, building connections and opening pathways for others.

Kristie Blake

Youth Counselor

Kristie supports the mental well-being of young people at Sowing Seeds, and her day job keeps her in daily contact with them. She spent nine years owning and running Small Smiles Learning and Childcare Center and is in her seventh year as a Lead Pre-K Teacher. She's currently working toward a Master of Arts in Teaching. Her philosophy is to meet children where they are, and she believes they learn best when they feel safe, valued, and involved. She's passionate about early literacy, hands-on learning, family engagement, and equitable opportunity for every child.

Sylvia Everett

Senior Administrator

Sylvia started in a summer youth program at University Medical Center in Jacksonville, which turned into a full-time job as a Patient Relations Assistant. She later moved into marketing and built ties with local businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, and community groups. Advocating for senior citizens guides her work. At Sowing Seeds she prepared and filed the paperwork for 501(c)(3) status and the copyright registration with the Library of Congress.