From Homeless To Helping The Homeless

Young Glenn was homeless on the streets of New York City from the age of 8 to the 7th grade. During that time, all of his clothes and toys were hand-me-downs. He had a difficult life, but deep inside, he knew there was more. He had HOPE.

To me, HOPE is an acronym for: Hold On Possibilities Exist.

Well, young Glenn went on to become a pioneer in the hip hop music world, a sports agent, and a philanthropist.

His name? Toby...Glenn Toby.

Dr. Toby now owns multiple homes, but he never forgot where he came from. As a matter of fact, in 1998 he founded The Book Bank Foundation to help provide resources, books, and necessities to educate and assist homeless individuals and families.

This past Sunday, December 11, 2016, I, alongside Glenn and a busload of volunteers, celebrities, and professional athletes went to five boroughs of New York City for the annual “Shelter from the Streets” tour, visiting homeless shelters and going under bridges giving gifts, clothing, jackets, shoes, toiletries, and toys, as well as inspiration, hope and love. The bus included people from all walks of life from former homeless individuals and prison inmates to celebrities and millionaires. Although the lifestyles were vast, the love was unified. It is always one of the most powerful and beautiful days of the year for me and all involved.

They say happiness is better when shared.

The same is true with giving back.

The best thing is that we don’t have to wait until we are successful, rich, or well-known to help make a difference. It is a choice.

And you can begin right now.

Thank you for reading, and thank you, young Glenn.

For more information on The Book Bank Foundation, click here: http://bookbankfoundation.org/