Civic

Greg's civic and philanthropic experiences can be traced back to the first book he ever purchased with his own money (a children's biography of Harriet Tubman). The book inspired him to want to make a difference. A few weeks later, he signed up for a Read-a-Thon (raising funds to help fight a disease). He won the Read-a-Thon for three straight years -- raising thousands of dollars in the process. Throughout his high school years, he volunteered with local kids through a variety of youth centers, camps and athletic leagues.

During Greg's time in college, he volunteered at local schools off-campus, launched a mentoring program that brought his classmates into the community with him, volunteer taught former gang members trying to get their GEDs, interned on Capitol Hill and was appointed by the Dean to the position of Student Chairman of Community Service for the college he attended - giving him a chance to serve as a link between his campus and the community.   His main papers in college revolved around Native American culture and heritage.

After college, Greg took one year to work as a public school substitute teacher (One year turned into eight). He also has served as Scholar (or Writer or Artist) in Residence for schools and programs in the US, Canada and Africa. On a number of occasions, he has served as Honorary Principal for a Day at a school.

  Greg established a program to volunteer with senior citizens. More than 200 people gave more than 800 hours of their time as part of the program.

MENTORING

 Each weekend, for the next 243 consecutive weekends, he coordinated and hosted brunches for up to 25 people (students and adult mentors) of different races, cultures and backgrounds (followed by an athletic activity like basketball or rockwall climbing, or a volunteer activity like visiting senior citizens).   More than 700 people from six continents attended at least one of the brunches.  

After Greg's first 100 consecutive weeks of brunch, Good Morning America buried a Time Capsule which included a video narrated by Diane Sawyer about the program. For more detailed background on this program, go to www.ShakingUpAmerica.com and click Enter Here

In addition to the brunches, Greg has coordinated and hosted (or co-hosted) events around the world designed to bring people of diferent races, cultures and backgrounds together. The groups have ranged in size from 5 to 500. The events have included dinners, galas, parties and a film premiere. They have taken place in locations like Chicago, New York City, St. Louis, Fresno, Washington D.C., Canada and Africa. For more, please visit www.ShakingUpAmerica.com

PHILANTHROPY

Above and beyond his own foundation's efforts, Greg has collaborated with an extensive number of companies, teams, organizations and schools on civic, volunteer and philanthropic projects.  In Minnesota, for instance, Greg collaborated with the Minnesota Vikings on a community service essay contest based on a speech by Greg at a school in Minnesota and The First Thirty (the book based on Greg's story, which the students were reading in class).  He collaborated with the New York Giants on a similar project in New York.   In Connecticut, he collaborated with Rockville Bank on a project in which the bank generously provided a scholarship to a local college-bound student who won an essay contest there.  In some cases, he has been asked to serve as a resource for advice and consultation for others who are engaged in civic, volunteer and philanthropic efforts.