Sarah Hemminger

organization overview

Thread is unique in its 10-year commitment to never giving up on ninth graders with the lowest GPAs and highest potential. Young people in Thread are part of a Thread Family, connecting with up to four adult volunteers who believe in the young person and show up consistently, with vulnerability and humility. Each member is on a journey of personal growth that encourages greater understanding of others and self, creating a community where each person is known, loved, and needed. The relationships developed in Thread transcend race, class, and age and create a deep sense of belonging. Founded in 2004, Thread is inspiring individuals to weave a new social fabric.

Personal Bio

Sarah Hemminger is a social entrepreneur, scientist, and ice dancer who co-founded Thread, a non-profit that harnesses the power of relationships to engage exceptional young people facing extraordinary opportunity and achievement gaps.

Thread’s innovative, paradigm-shifting model centered on reciprocal relationships, has led to exemplary outcomes for young people and a deeply knitted diverse community of thousands of Baltimoreans. This work fuels her belief that building strong relationships across lines of difference can transform the lives of all involved and weave a more equitable social fabric that improves educational, economic and health outcomes.

Sarah was awarded fellowships from Ashoka, Echoing Green and the Open Society Institute and Thread’s work has been covered by the New York Times, Forbes, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. She has been a featured speaker at the Aspen Ideas Festival, the White House, and the Smithsonian..

Sarah received her undergraduate degree and Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Johns Hopkins University where she is currently an adjunct assistant professor and her work focuses on the integration of academic and cultural excellence.