Plateau Foundation President Named B of A Neighborhood Hero

The executive director of the Santa Rosa Plateau Foundation, Ginger Greaves, has been recognized by Bank of America as a Neighborhood Hero.

The honor is part of the bank’s prestigious, competitive national charitable program, the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative. Five local community leaders from 45 markets across the nation are named Neighborhood Heroes each year, according to a news release.

Each Neighborhood Hero receives $5,000 to be donated to a charity or nonprofit of their choice. Greaves received the honor at a Nov. 9 celebration at the Crestmore Manor in Riverside, and donated her funds to SRPF.

Greaves was among five selected in Riverside/San Bernardino counties who are known to have made a special and significant impact on individuals, families or the community at large. They have inspired others to volunteer for community service and have been a catalyst for new visions, understanding and change in a community.

Greaves was recognized for her 45 years of volunteer work in the nonprofit sector which includes the establishment of three nonprofits. She rallied a congressional hearing and subsequent review of a federal education act to sustain special schools for the deaf, blind and orthopedically handicapped. Most recently, she has served eight years as the founder, president and executive director of SRPF.

The mission of SRPF is to inspire and motivate children to learn and care about the natural world. This is accomplished by providing children education, research and preservation programs at the Since its founding in 2003, the Foundation has provided programming for over 76,000 students from 65 schools and 10 school districts.  

The Foundation pays for busing, curriculum materials and volunteer training for its three education programs: Third Grade, Third Grade Title l Outreach and Middle School Research and Restoration Project.

In conjunction with its school district partners to augment their elementary science requirement, and with the Riverside County Regional Park & Open Space District, the Foundation has developed an innovative pre and post-testing tool to quantify what the children learn when they participate in the program, SRPF stated in the news release.

Written to reconcile with California’s Elementary Science Standards, a pre quiz is given in the classroom before their visit to the Reserve and again after they complete their visit.

“The goal of the Santa Rosa Plateau Foundation is to leave no child inside.  Children who don’t experience nature, won’t grow up to cherish and protect it,” Greaves said. “I am proud to be recognized by Bank of America for my work, and thrilled that the work our nonprofit provides for our youth can have even more impact thanks to this donation.”