Our Team
Our Story
During the COVID-19 pandemic when most schools were closed for in-person learning, we volunteered to be virtual reading partners with local elementary schools in Oakland, CA. We saw the joy in these children’s eyes and recognized how literature can spark imagination, and meaningful connections can change the trajectory of students’ lives. Soon, Greydon rallied a group of volunteers to explore different ways to improve child literacy and inspire learning. We also quickly realized that books and learning resources were not always readily accessible for everyone. This led us to form The Better Giving organization. We began soliciting books for donation to local schools and have since expanded our giving to include gently used digital tools (laptops and tablets) to disadvantaged communities in Mexico and San Quentin Rehabilitation Center.
Greydon Ting
President
Greydon attends the Head-Royce School in Oakland and is captain of the school’s varsity tennis team, a contributor to the school newspaper, The Hawk’s Eye, and co-founder of the Investment Club. Outside of school, Greydon hosts financial literacy workshops for young teens in Oakland and San Francisco. He is currently co-producing a series of podcast focusing on mental health and technology.
Greydon’s favorites books include Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.
Silas Farhang
Vice President
Silas is a senior at the Head-Royce School in Oakland, where he plays varsity soccer and baseball, and tutors children in Oakland schools. He enjoys working out, listening to music, and reading poetry. Some of his favorite collections are Ode to Common Things by Pablo Neruda and Ariel by Sylvia Plath.
Lawrence Liu
Vice President
Lawrence is a senior at the Head-Royce School in Oakland, where he competes on the varsity track and field team and tutors middle school students in competition math. He is the founder of Food Bridge, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing fresh produce and delivering it to people in need. In his free time, Lawrence enjoys playing piano, programming, listening to music, and watching movies. Some of his favorite books include Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner and Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil.
We believe that we can impact the lives of others by increasing access to learning. Help us make that change.