Executive Director Message

September, 2025

Last week, I ran across an essay, “On Not Surrendering in Advance (Or At Any Point Thereafter)” by writer and social activist Rebecca Solnit. It resonated deeply with me, and many others who commented.

The thrust of the piece is, quite simply, that words we use impact reality. “Our words shape reality when we tell someone they’re worthless or valuable, beautiful or ugly, beloved or unlovable, which is a bit like chanting ‘I believe that you will win. Or lose.’”

I was filled with the notion that despite the despair we may be feeling — the seeming hopelessness that assaults our senses daily — we have the power to frame the world with hope, with the knowledge that good things are happening and will prevail. All isn’t lost.

With that in mind, I point you to this month’s Good People Talk! podcast. I sat in conversation with three of our Good People … Kristen Bloom, founder of Refugee Assistance Alliance, Kari Miller, founder of International Neighbors and Shoshana Barzel, founder of New Neighbors Partnership — three women who are proving daily that good things are still happening and that they can effect change when our government’s immigration policies are creating an atmosphere of harassment and fear.

From Shoshana we hear about the pregnant woman who is afraid to show up for a prenatal medical appointment because she could be swept up in a raid. And, Kari’s stories about Afghanis who risked their lives as translators or special agents supporting US military personnel, only to find themselves here with their status arbitrarily changed.

Kristen, Kari and Shoshana are only three of our amazing GPF grantees working under difficult circumstances with people who have lost so much and have reason to despair. Yet, they do not let words change their focus or drive.

As summer winds down, I thank you all for helping us to elevate hope and good. Your support makes all of our impactful work possible.

Happy Labor Day!

Naomi

August, 2025

As the world shifts beneath our feet – politically, socially, emotionally – we at The Good People Fund remain grounded in our core beliefs: that small actions, rooted in compassion and justice, have the power to change lives. While headlines swirl and crises compound, our work – and the work of the social visionaries we support – remains steady, focused, and deeply human.

In both the United States and Israel, our grantees continue to show up every single day for those most vulnerable. They are doing the sacred work of tzedakah – not just giving, but repairing. And they are doing it in the midst of rising need, growing instability, and often at great personal cost.

Every day is a balancing act: meeting the immediate, urgent needs of people in crisis, while also committing to the slower, often invisible work of long-term change. That’s exactly what our community of changemakers is doing. From Matt and Charmaine of Rekindle setting new tables for bridge-building, to Mark of Medical Justice Alliance fighting for compassionate care for people incarcerated in 40 states, to Kerry at Emma’s Torch, Dana at I Support the Girls, and Fraidy at Unchained at Last – all GPF alumni now replicating and scaling their life-changing models – we are seeing the ripple effect of consistent, values-based investment in good people doing good work.

During the past year, we had the opportunity to reflect on our long-term impact, and we were humbled to discover that we’ve supported over 260 grantees since our founding. That number is more than a data point – it’s a growing community of social visionaries who are reshaping the future, one act of kindness, one system shift at a time.

This month, we’re proud to share the latest episode of our Good People Talk podcast featuring Yurani Sandoval, founder of Women Palante, a fierce advocate for women’s voices and empowerment. The episode, titled “Women Belong in Every Room,” is a powerful reminder that systemic change begins with the bravery of one person bold enough to step forward, even when the room was not built for them.

Through all the turbulence we remain anchored to our mission. Thank you for standing with us, and with the people who continue to make good happen, no matter the storm. They – and we – could not do it without your steadfast support.

Julie

June, 2025

After almost 18 years and more than 250 supported programs, we continue to be inspired by our visionaries, all imbued with a deep sense of purpose and drive to make our world kinder and gentler.

One of our Good People is Zane Buzby, a former Hollywood comedy writer whose trip to discover her family’s roots in Eastern Europe put her on a new journey delivering small sums of money to Holocaust survivors living in desperate poverty there.

It was from this life-changing visit that The Survivor Mitzvah Project began. Zane’s efforts brought much needed financial support and recognition to survivors — and also generated a treasure trove of letters and recordings documenting personal experiences. It was Zane’s dream that these irreplaceable personal testimonies would find a permanent home so that the world would never forget.

Now, after many years, The US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC has agreed to not only house these sacred testimonies, but also translate and digitize them. We are incredibly proud of Zane’s ceaseless efforts to make this a reality.

Zane never lost her vision and is further proof of our fundamental belief that one person can make a difference — reflecting the immense vision and impact of each of the Good People in the GPF family.

Rabbi Charlie Savenor is another one of our Good People, who as Executive Director of Civic Spirit is elevating civic education among students and teachers in faith-based schools around the country — a particularly critical focus as our society faces severe strains on basic assumptions and processes. I welcomed Charlie to this month’s Good People Talk! podcast episode, and I encourage you to listen to his insights.

Your support helps make the work of our Good People possible. My hope is that our shared stories allow you to know that you are making a difference.

Naomi

May, 2025

For anyone working in or supporting the nonprofit world, events of the past several months have been alarming. Government is cutting or threatening programs addressing refugee, climate, hunger, diversity and other issues, even reframing the language around them.

Nonprofit organizations like The Good People Fund provide the backbone for so much of what we represent as a civil society. At times of onslaught such as now, our work is even more critical.

Julie and I have spent hours connecting with our US grantees, learning about their challenges and defining the best ways we can help them continue doing their essential work and making impact.

The stories we hear are concerning. Some share that donors have been affected by the stock market and can’t offer support at previous levels; others report that Jewish donors have shifted their giving to Israel where the effects of 10/7 still reverberate. Those that rely on federal, state or local government funds discover that they are no longer available or are at risk.

And yet, in the midst of this challenging scenario, Good People Fund resources — made possible by your generosity — are making a critical difference across a spectrum of existing and increasing needs.

For instance, your support allows us to help a refugee resettlement program address shifting realities on the ground. It allows us to offer resources so a bagel rescue effort can enhance operations feeding people struggling to provide for themselves. The list goes on, underscoring our commitment to creating good in a changing, uncertain environment.

Beyond this, I want to bring your attention to this month’s Good People Talk! podcast, in which Julie took a turn at the microphone to have a conversation with Jamal Alkirnawi, Founder of A New Dawn in the Negev, a GPF grantee in Israel. Their talk focuses on vision, hope and positive change — all notions that we desperately need to practice now, wherever we are.

Thank you for giving us the means to make small miracles possible.

Naomi

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