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Harriet and Alan Lewis
Get to Give: Bostonians Harriet and Alan
Lewis inspire philanthropy on a global scale through travel
by Martha Prybylo
Harriet and Alan Lewis are an extraordinary example of a couple
with a vision for business and philanthropy fused with a passion
for learning. He’s an entrepreneur; she’s a teacher – and their
life together is a quest to create new paths. Their company,
Grand Circle Corporation, is the number one company in the
United States providing international travel, adventure, and
discovery for Americans over fifty. The company’s nonprofit
branch, Grand Circle Foundation, gives back to the world their
travelers explore by supporting community service projects where
their forty worldwide offices are located – be it right
around the corner from their Boston headquarters, or in the hill
tribes of Thailand, north of their Chiang Mai office.
“We are in the business to help change people’s lives,”
emphasize Alan and Harriet. More than a company motto, this
philosophy permeates their travel programs, workplace, and
philanthropic efforts. During any given Grand Circle trip –
whether to Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, or Thailand – travelers
immerse themselves in rich cultural exchanges. Around the world,
families host travelers in their homes and prepare meals for
them, while resident trip leaders lend insight into their
culture during candid discussions about controversial topics.
These trips are offered with the hope that American travelers
will return from their journey with a deeper appreciation for
what unites people worldwide. “Small conversations,” says
Harriet, “have the power to change the world. We don’t want our
travelers to return and say, ‘let me tell you what I saw.’ We
hope they return and say, ‘let me tell you who I met and what I
learned.’” In turn, she hopes that travelers’ hosts will learn
something about Americans.
Within Grand Circle’s workplace, Alan and Harriet challenge
their employees to find and pursue their passion and to take one
more step than they thought they could take. Grounded in a
deeply held set of company values that encourage risk-taking and
open communication, Grand Circle has achieved what few, if any,
U.S. travel companies can claim – a post-9/11 resurgence.
The Lewis’ philanthropy also bears their signature stamp of
doing things differently. Funded by personal donations and up to
10 percent of company profits, the Grand Circle Foundation has
contributed more than $20 million worldwide with vibrant,
employee-led community service teams throughout the world.
Altogether, employees have given 20,000 hours of their time
over the past 10 years to 85 projects in more than 35 countries.
Boston associates band together once a year with a local
organization, Rebuilding Together Boston, to refurbish the home
of an elder in need. Also, for more than twenty years, the
Foundation has supported Neurofibromatosis, Inc.; an
organization dedicated to finding a cure for neurofibromatosis
by promoting scientific research, creating awareness, and
supporting those who are affected by NF. The Foundation also
supports, among many others, the West End Boys and Girls Club,
the Big Sister Association, and the Thompson Island Outward
Bound Education Center. And they created a new model of
community philanthropy by uniting a group of 17 leaders from
long-term community partner organizations into their Community
Advisory Group. This group advises the company on its giving,
trains the company leaders, and, through the exchange of best
practices and shared barriers, coaches each other to raise the
performance of their organizations.
Overseas, the Foundation funds projects that protect and
preserve cultural traditions and treasures, and invests in the
future through the education of young people. The Foundation has
helped more than 80 schools all over the world to ensure that
kids have safe classrooms, well-trained teachers, and the books
they need to learn. Alan and Harriet have formed partnerships
with some of the world’s most prestigious organizations in
preservation, including the World Monuments Fund and UNESCO,
which has designated Grand Circle as its first Corporate Partner
in Conservation. Recently, the Foundation made a five-year
commitment to the State Museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland, to
build a Holocaust education center. The Foundation has received
more than a dozen community awards, recognitions, and citations.
When you ask Alan and Harriet why they give so much of their
time and money and why it is such an integral part of their
lives and the company, they question back, “Why wouldn’t you
share what you have? Everyone has something to give: money,
time, skills, courage, a smile.”
“Giving back is something we have done our whole lives,” says
Alan, “because it is who we are. In fact, establishing the
Foundation was a key strategy to teach people about giving back.
Visiting international Foundation sites, such as a rural school
or orphanage, provides extraordinary discovery experiences. Our
travelers are proud to be associated with a company that cares
deeply. In fact, many travelers now donate to schools they visit
during their trips and ask to help the orphanages. And our
reputation as a socially responsible company is a big help in
attracting and retaining the best people in the industry.
However, you cannot implant philanthropy into your company; it
must be a deeply held belief.”
Harriet sums up her philosophy: “When I think of global
citizens, I think of a tapestry. Individually, we are one
thread, but when you put us all together, we are something
special. In this country, we spend so much time getting –
getting the house, the car. However, with getting, it is
important to give. You get in order to give. I feel it is an
obligation to share your gifts.”
Alan and Harriet will forever travel, learn, and keep taking
risks – and wake up every morning with dreams of how they can
help change people’s lives and, in so doing, change their own.
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