It is with deep sadness that we share the news of Code the Dream team member Greg Toledo’s death. Greg was CTD’s Public Benefits Outreach and Partnerships Lead, and his sudden passing is a huge loss for the many people fortunate enough to cross his path. Our thoughts are with Greg’s wife, Michael, his sons, Woodrow and Theodore, and all his family and friends.
Greg joined the team in January of this year, and in that short time, his work had a profound impact on the community members touched by CTD’s public benefits projects and on us, his CTD colleagues.
Greg Toldeo (seen on the left in images above and right) speaks with attendees of the Summer Jam community event in Durham. He worked with CTD partners at Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina to show community members how MyFriendBen-NC’s simple six-minute questionnaire can reveal benefits they could potentially qualify for but may not be accessing.
The cornerstone of Greg’s work was human connection, and he seemed uniquely suited for it. He approached every interaction with openness, humor, and humility. Whether he was helping a veteran learn about a new benefit that could stretch a monthly budget further, introducing MyFriendBen-NC to young adults facing barriers, or jumping headfirst into his second day of work at CTD by doing the Electric Slide at the staff retreat, Greg always gave you the gift of his undivided attention.
That gift was evident in Greg’s day-to-day professional life. Throughout his time at CTD, as Greg spoke at conferences, tabled events, and connected with partner organizations in North Carolina, it was obvious he had a passion for making the world a better place.
Left: Greg spoke about benefits screener MyFriendBen-NC at the Seeds & Soil Conference at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Right: Greg attended the NextGen Youth Forum in Greensboro, where he introduced attendees from workforce development programs to MyFriendBen-NC. He’s pictured with event organizers Stephanie Deese, Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Workforce Development Boards, and Sonja Godsey from the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
What brought Greg to this work—what brought so many of us to CTD in the first place—is an unwavering belief that all people deserve access to resources that will help them create hopeful, dignified lives.
We’re grateful to have shared time and space with such a remarkable man. Thank you, Greg, for being a part of CTD.
