Former Chairman - The late Bill McCreary (2008-2021)

I chose to work with this organization because of its emphasis on helping young people learn to use language to express meaning and purpose in their lives, as well as the organization’s focus on working with parents to help guide their children.

As a journalist, I was intrigued by the organization’s work with youth and how they used learning materials from the National Visionary Leadership Project (NVLP) to enrich students understanding of putting forth effort for future success. The NVLP’s “Wisdom of Elders” project provided the foundation for the incorporation of the inspiring wisdom and guidance of elders into the RICH program model. An opportunity I participated in 2009 the same year that I became a RICH board member.

In 2011, RICH launched, Parent Investment Alliance (PIA) that conducts workshops under the theme: Our children, our greatest investment. RICH views the importance of working with parents as a critical social environmental issue, particularly during the difficult adolescent years. What I find most promising is that under the PIA program RICH is leading the way by offering parents a solution to changing the conversation with their children. Too often we talk about a myriad of problems with our youth. We speak about what isn’t being done and what needs to be done. Here we have an organization which saw a problem and created a solution for youth and parents.

Bill McCreary,
Chairman, RICH Inc.