Adam Bucko

Adam Bucko exemplifies the values, attitudes, and beliefs that define an Intelligent Optimist. Adam is the Founder, Managing Director and spiritual drive behind the Reciprocity Foundation. He is a former monk, a trained sociologist, lecturer, social services sector consultant and a veteran homeless youth program coordinator.

The Reciprocity Foundation is a U.S. non-profit organization which enables homeless and high-risk youth and young adults to permanently exit the social services system and start meaningful, sustainable careers in the Creativity Economy (e.g. fashion, design, marketing, public relations). The Reciprocity Foundation aims to build a national network of programs to enable homeless youth to enroll in college, secure hands-on work experiences and build a professional network in their field of interest. Currently, their work is focused on the thousands of homeless youth in New York City, New York.

This organization helps homeless youth to permanently transition out of the shelter system and achieve their true potential. They specialize in placing youth into colleges on full scholarships and careers in media, design, advertising, public relations, music and social entrepreneurship. They also provide services related to spirituality including meditation, yoga, life coaching and wellness including acupuncture, massage, shiatsu, and nutritional coaching, and more. In turn, the Reciprocity Foundation provides a holistic approach that is vital to enabling these homeless youth to break the cycle of poverty and start sustainable careers.

Adam grew up behind the Iron Curtain and spent his early years exploring the anarchist punk movement and working for social and political change. At the age of 17, he immigrated to the United States. His desire to live a life that matters led him to monasteries in the United States, Thailand and eventually India. His life defining experience took place in India where he lived and worked at an experimental “community of the poor” or Sewa Ashram located in the slums of Delhi. While there, he helped to form an educational program for street children that used theater and creativity as a tool for outreach and personal transformation.

After returning to the United States, he worked on the streets of various American cities with youth struggling against homelessness and prostitution. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Theology, Philosophy and Social Science and taught sociology and gender issues at Adelphi University in New York. Adam has represented the Reciprocity Foundation's work by appearing on ABC News Now's "All Together Now" segment. In 2004, he co-founded the Reciprocity Foundation.

Both the mission of the Reciprocity Foundation and Adam's own journey demonstrates the oneness, love, care and compassion that have the power to transform the fabric of our society.