April 2025

This past weekend, we celebrated my adorable nephew’s bar mitzvah in Chicago. Surrounded by family who traveled from all corners of the globe, we momentarily set aside the world’s challenges and created a space for pure joy.

Despite his youth, or perhaps because of it, my nephew shared profound wisdom. He spoke of the power each of us holds—to either destroy or to build. He reminded us that we choose what we contribute to the world, and encouraged us to work toward creating more good. He’s already living this ideal by supporting people who are homeless in his community and inspiring others to do the same.

His words struck me deeply. Lately, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but focusing on acts of kindness can spark joy and offer hope.

At The Good People Fund, we witness sparks of hope every day through our incredible Good People. One is Shoshana Barzel, founder of New Neighbors Partnership, who is doing vital work supporting refugees. Her story, featured on this month’s Good People Talk podcast, is a powerful reminder that compassionate action can create real and lasting change in our communities. Shoshana’s small act of passing on clothing from one family to another led to the creation of a network of support and caring among hundreds of families and volunteers.

With spring and Passover approaching, we reflect on timeless themes of freedom, resilience, and hope—qualities embodied by our grantees who, even in the face of adversity, carry out their missions with unwavering spirit. Their determination is truly inspiring.

Thanks to your continued support, we stand alongside them, building a more just and compassionate world—one act of kindness at a time.

Even in the most difficult times, we have the opportunity to choose to create, to build instead of destroy. I’m deeply grateful to my young nephew for reminding us of this powerful truth.

I’d love to hear how you’re finding moments of joy and hope during these challenging times. Please hit reply and share your thoughts.

Julie

March, 2025

As we reach the halfway point in our annual visit with our Israel grantees, there is a deep heaviness that permeates our conversations.

Being a nonprofit leader is stressful in the best of circumstances. During an elongated war, it is on so many levels beyond challenging. Each of our Good People here has a personal situation demanding valuable physical and emotional presence. At the same time, they are seeking to serve their communities with limited resources.

Yet countering the stresses is a fierce determination to overcome the moment and claim the impact and positive change that is their drive. And that is just as apparent during our visits, and a source of pride to all of us who support them at a time when their work is arguably more important than ever.

We were already here that difficult day when four coffins arrived in Israel from Gaza, when the entire country seemed to be holding its breath. That evening, we celebrated the 80th birthday of our grantee, Gideon Ben Ami, founder of Pesia’s Kitchen/EAT. In the large restaurant were many other tables celebrating milestones. Suspended above were orange balloons reminding everyone of Kfir and Ariel Bibas, the babies who have come to represent the horrors of October 7.

In the midst of the horror and pain, people here continue to live and believe there are better days ahead, and our grantees are no different.

This year, in addition to our one-on-one conversations and site visits, we brought our grantees together for small gatherings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Our intention, as always, was to provide an opportunity to connect, spark ideas for collaboration and support, and nurture a strong sense of community.

A memorable moment (pictured) was at our Jerusalem event, as we walked together through the rain to witness firsthand the impact of JLM Food Rescuers, one of our grantees. Our hosts, co-founders Daniella Seltzer and Itay Peled, took us through the bustling Givat Shaul wholesale market, where we learned about how they rescue surplus food and redistribute it to those in need. Their efforts alleviate hunger, address food waste and promote sustainability — all while strengthening community ties in the disparate neighborhoods of Jerusalem.

These gatherings are a part of building lasting relationships between our grantees, supporting each other’s growth, and reinforcing our commitment to our shared values of kindness, compassion, and empathy. We are posting moments from our visits with our grantees to our GPF social media accounts and hope you are following our highlights there too.

Finally, our Good People Talk! podcast this month features Esty Shushan, founder of Nivcharot — a GPF grantee — which is breaking down barriers for Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) women by working for equal space in society and empowering them through leadership training to redefine their roles and voices, changing society from the inside. Please listen and be inspired by the impact you are making as part of the GPF family.

Another week to go meeting our wonderful Good People Fund grantees!

Naomi and Julie

Congratulations to Jon Adam Ross (JAR), founder of Inheritance Theater Project for being chosen for the next cohort of Uptide Accelerator run by 92NY Belfer Center for Innovation and Social Impact. Uptide is an accelerator that gives community-building nonprofits the tools they need to reach the next level of impact. We are proud of JAR and his team!

Courtney Smith, Founder & CEO of Detroit Phoenix Center, recently received the Black Excellence Award from the Black United Fund (BUF) of Michigan, alongside a powerful circle of leaders dedicated to service, justice, and generational change. For over 55 years, BUF of MI has been a steady force, investing in Black youth, uplifting families, and anchoring Detroit in purpose. As Detroit Phoenix Center shared, “To be recognized by such an institution is more than an award—it’s a confirmation that the impact we’re making matters.”

JAB Camp, founded by Jared Armstrong, offers the fun of basketball camp plus essential life skills and bridge building across communities. The program, underway this summer of 2025, fosters tolerance, respect, and meaningful connections among youth from diverse backgrounds. In our divided world, this is needed more than ever.

A Courageous Voice, founded by Amy Ever, is hard at work this summer of 2025 teaching groups of children how to stay safe online and offline, empowering them with the knowledge and confidence to prevent sexual abuse.