Groundswell Startups prides itself on being a Give First Community, a culture that looks to collaboration and innovation to bring resources to the founders and startups we support. To do that, you need a pretty awesome mentor network willing to dedicate its time to help others succeed.

John Verdi is no stranger to community building. Together with his wife Ayana, they founded the Verdi EcoSchool, an urban farm school dedicated to hands-on learning. His latest effort, Hey, Blue!, takes an interactive approach to creating meaningful connections between police officers and the communities they serve. A retired law enforcement officer and 9/11 first responder, John knows first-hand the life-changing power of community members and police officers coming together in a tense time of need.