In the latest episode of the Impact Chat podcast, host Kiki Angelus sat down with a true embodiment of modern philanthropy: Victor “Vic” Acosta. Vic is a visionary youth advocate, an endurance athlete, and a change-maker who has spent over 15 years helping young people, unhoused individuals, and veterans find resilience and purpose through movement and community.
His journey offers a powerful masterclass in how everyday care can be transformed into real-world impact. Here are the incredible highlights and takeaways from Vic’s life story.
A Full-Circle Foundation in New York City
The connection runs deep at Defeat the Streets. Vic and our founder, Deborah Tomasi, actually go all the way back to their childhoods in New York City. They met through a summer tennis program run by Columbia University and the city—a philanthropic initiative designed to give kids from the streets a safe, positive place to go.
Reflecting on those early years, Vic shared how that program shaped his entire view of service:
“To a very large extent, I learned very early on that young people were very impactful and also had an extraordinary level of patience.”
While Vic describes himself as the mischievous one and Deborah as the serious, focused visionary, their early friendship planted the seeds for lifetimes dedicated to giving back.
Breaking Free from the “1980s Trap”
Though Vic had a deep-seated calling to history and social issues—even earning a full ride to Columbia University for history—his parents steered him toward a more traditional path. He attended Manhattan College for engineering and quickly climbed the corporate ladder in the 1980s defense industry.
He had the brand-new car, the high salary, and the material success. But something was missing. Vic describes reaching a point where the extreme disparity between his material wealth and his contribution to society gave him “the ick.” It was the catalyst he needed to pivot away from a high-paying engineering career toward a life of pure service.
Disrupting Homelessness with Health and Wellness
Vic’s first major leap into nonprofit leadership was as the Executive Director of Back on My Feet in Boston, an organization that uses running and walking to build self-efficacy among individuals experiencing homelessness.
Working in a data-driven city like Boston, Vic’s team conclusively proved that prioritizing health and wellness fundamentally changed outcomes. Participants who joined the early morning running circles showed:
- 50% greater efficacy in finding stable employment.
- 50% greater efficacy in securing stable housing.
- Significantly stronger reconnections with family and personal relationships.
The Story of Sully
One of the most moving moments of the podcast was when Vic shared the story of Sully, an Army veteran he met at a New England shelter. When asked what he truly wanted out of life, Sully didn’t ask for wealth—he just wanted a small place of his own where he could cook dinner for his daughter.
Vic and his staff helped Sully secure a job at Target and an apartment. Though Sully tragically passed away just a month after moving in, his daughter later visited the office to share a message that stays with Vic to this day: For that final month of his life, Sully truly felt like a dad again. It’s a poignant reminder that sometimes, providing just a small piece of dignity is everything.
“If You Leap, the Net Will Appear”
Vic went on to co-found two incredibly impactful programs in the Boston area:
- Dreamfar High School Marathon: Partnering with special education teacher Jamie Shalof, Vic helped build a high school marathon program that turned at-risk youth into endurance runners, fostering immense confidence and boosting graduation rates in underserved communities to over 90%.
- Dreamfar Triathlon: Partnering with nurse Susie McCurly, this initiative brought veterans from the local shelters together with youth to train for triathlons, combining swimming, biking, and running into a powerful community mentorship model.
When Vic hesitated about funding and logistics for the triathlon program, Susie told him: “Vic, if you leap, the net will appear.” Time and again, that leap of faith paid off.
Vic’s life is a beautiful testament to the core belief of Defeat the Streets: the truest joy in life comes from being of service to others.
Want to hear the full conversation? Check out the full podcast episode on the Defeat The Streets YouTube Channel and get inspired to make your own impact this week!