Gonzaga senior forward Ben Gregg is a featured fixture on televisions throughout the Northwest.
Obviously, his almost 20 minutes a game of floor time for the 14th-ranked Bulldogs contributes to that, but so do his acting credits that span from Adams Tractor to Northern Quest Resort & Casino to Walker Furniture and Mattress.
Now that college athletes have been able to profit off their name, image and likeness, seeing student-athletes representing local brands has become more common.
While that has allowed some athletes to make millions before they turn 20, it can also be a useful tool for the nonprofit community.
“I have always wanted to help give back to people in need, but I was never able to because I didn’t have the funds or platform,” Gregg said in a news release. “During my time at Gonzaga, I have been given a platform to be able to come up with ideas and ask people for help financially to bring those ideas to life.”
Gregg’s partnership with Spokane-based Walker Furniture began this season and has provided the Spokane community with extra cheer that has extended beyond just the Christmas season.
In early December, Gregg, along with Family Promise of Spokane, helped deliver furniture and other goods to a mom and her two children who were living in a new place and in need of supplies.
Family Promise provides emergency shelter for families and offers a handful of ways to help stabilize them for the long haul. It has helped more than 200 families find homes in 2024.
“I haven’t done any of this alone,” Gregg said.
“All the companies I have worked with for NIL have been extremely easy to work with and allowed me to use whatever they had to help people in need. I hope other athletes begin using their platform for good and give back wherever they can.”
In November, Gregg joined Union Gospel Mission to help serve lunch alongside Zags point guard Ryan Nembhard.
“I like giving back because as a kid my parents took me volunteering with them to help feed the homeless,” Gregg said. “As a young kid, I was always scared of homeless people and never wanted to go downtown. But after seeing how grateful people were to just get a meal really helped me see everybody as equals, and gain an understanding that some people were just dealt a bad hand in life — and I want to do whatever I can to help get people back on their feet.”
Family-owned and locally operated Walker Furniture operates an initiative called Walker Cares, which partners with a variety of nonprofits across the Inland Northwest.
Family Promise and the UGM are partnered with Walker.
They said their partnerships with NIL athletes like Gregg help raise awareness about their initiative and the charities that are supported to help the community.
The partnership will continue to provide furniture and mattresses throughout the 2024-25 college basketball season.
Gregg will also be donating signed memorabilia.
The grand prize — airfare, hotel and tickets to the 2025 West Coast Conference Championship in Las Vegas — will also be up for grabs through WalkersCares.com.
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