The Greek America Foundation is honored to announce a decade-long sustaining gift of $50,000 from Dr. Margarita Lolis and Dr. George Stoupakis, two distinguished physicians who grew up in Greek immigrant homes and credit their parents for instilling in them the values that have guided their lives: hard work, humility, and the responsibility to give back.
With a shared passion for helping young people thrive — and a deep love for their Greek heritage— Dr. Lolis and Dr. Stoupakis have committed $5,000 annually for the next 10 years to support and endow the Foundation’s Gen G Teen Initiative.
Why They’re Giving
Both donors speak often about the lessons they learned at their own kitchen tables: That success means nothing unless it’s used to lift others. That community is built step-by-step, generation by generation. And that giving, service, and philotimo aren’t abstract ideals — they are lived values. Their gift reflects those beliefs. It’s a long-term investment in building a generation of teens who understand why giving and service matters— and who are empowered to take action.
What Their Gift Will Support
The sustaining, annual commitment by Dr. Lolis and Dr. Stoupakis will:
•Endow a teen-managed philanthropic fund, giving Gen G participants the responsibility and opportunity to make real grants that impact real lives.
•Support quarterly service gatherings in New York City, where teens from throughout the country will come together to volunteer, learn, connect, and give back directly to their communities.
•Expand the reach and continuity of the Gen G curriculum, ensuring that more teens are exposed to meaningful lessons on philanthropy, service, leadership, and Greek ideals in action.
A Gift That Creates a Legacy
For the next decade, every project completed, every grant recommended, every act of service performed by Gen G teens will carry the imprint of Dr. Lolis and Dr. Stoupakis — and the values they inherited from their own parents. Their generosity doesn’t just fund a program. It empowers a new generation to lead, to care, and to serve.
Inspired by a Manifesto That Became a Movement
Dr. Lolis and Dr. Stoupakis were deeply moved by the Greek America Foundation’s manifesto — not just its words, but the way the organization has spent nearly two decades turning those ideals into action. They’ve watched the Foundation consistently deliver programs that aren’t performative or symbolic, but truly transformational. For them, this wasn’t just an organization with inspiring language; it was a community that kept its promises through meaningful, lasting work.
From Dr. Margarita Lolis
I am a first-generation Greek American, raised in Palisades Park, New Jersey. My father grew up in a small mountain village on the Albanian border during a time of communist control, and my mother was raised in a poor rural village outside Tripoli. Their experiences, their pride in being Greek, and their work ethic shaped every part of who I am.
From the time I was young, I knew I wanted to become a doctor— but like many first-generation students, I had to navigate the educational path entirely on my own. I eventually found my way to Yale University, then the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, followed by dermatology residency and fellowship training. Those years taught me not only medicine, but resilience.
Mentorship has since become one of the most meaningful parts of my life. I especially care about supporting high school and college students— particularly those from Greek American families— because I remember what it felt like to navigate everything without guidance. When I meet teens who remind me of my younger self, I want to give them the support I didn’t have.
My Greek heritage is at the center of my life. My husband, Dr. George Stoupakis, is also a Greek American physician, and together we are raising our two daughters, Evangelia and Ioanna, with a strong connection to our language and culture. Passing these values on— not just to my children, but to the next generation— is deeply important to me.
I believe being first-generation means not only forging a path, but lighting the way for those who come after us. Supporting the Greek America Foundation and its Gen G initiative allows me to help do exactly that— by investing in the teens who will shape the future of Greek America.
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The Greek America Foundation extends its heartfelt gratitude for this visionary commitment that will help shape the future of youth for years to come.