Our grantee Inheritance Theater Project (ITP), co-founded byJon Adam Ross, works to “bridge silos and thaw division” through theater and community building. They are partnering with the Broadway Advocacy Coalition to invite local artists from their project in Hoboken, NJ, to participate in a Theater of Change training. Building on relationships formed and questions raised during the process, the team will focus on organizing around gentrification, displacement, and housing access. Using the Theater of Change methodology, the team will explore policies and arts-based solutions while centering the experiences of those directly impacted. They are excited to see this collaboration extend the impact of ITP’s Place Project work beyond the playmaking process. In addition, at the recent Bridging Movement Summit, hosted by the Listen First Coalition, Jon Adam Ross was invited to represent ITP on a panel about how the arts can build social cohesion across divides. Inviting attendees to share one word for “America,” Jon brought ITP’s participatory spirit to a national audience. ITP has now been invited to join the Listen First Coalition—joining 500+ organizations working to turn down the heat and build understanding across the country.
Good News Update
Trailblazing a Path for Ethiopian Israeli Women
Good People Fund grantee Ma’atzimot (Empowering Ethiopian Women), founded by Racheli Tadessa Malkai, shared an update for the year. They deepened their mission of empowering Ethiopian-Israeli women and girls with a focus on education, resilience, leadership, and well-being. They offered dozens of workshops, mentoring programs, and learning opportunities that created safe, nurturing spaces for women to reconnect with their identities, strengthen their voices, and build futures grounded in confidence and community.
Racheli’s leadership was nationally recognized when she was chosen to light a torch at Israel’s 77th Independence Day ceremony, symbolizing her trailblazing role and the collective strength of Ethiopian-Israeli women. Throughout the year, Ma’atzimot provided resilience seminars, educational initiatives, mental-health workshops, and community engagement projects aimed at cultivating both individual empowerment and collective healing. Ma’atzimot’s direct support has made it possible for 100s of women to attend college (or vocational training) and identify career paths, opening doors to economic opportunities.
Grantee makes front page of Miami Herald!
Good People Fund grantee Refugee Assistance Alliance (RAA), founded by Kristen Bloomwas featured on the front page of the Miami Herald! RAA supports refugees as they rebuild their lives in the United States, helping them achieve stability, self-sufficiency, and belonging through personalized assistance, mentoring, and community connections. We are proud of the important work RAA staff and volunteers are doing and delighted to see their work amplified to a wider audience.
Take a look:
Gathering for Compassion, Healing, and Human Connection
Israel grantee Road to Recovery, founded by Yuval Rothand now led by Yael Noy, marked both the Jewish New Year and its 15th anniversary with a powerful gathering that reflected its enduring mission: fostering compassion, healing, and human connection across divides. Nearly 900 people came together to celebrate the organization’s remarkable network of volunteers, whose quiet dedication has touched thousands of lives. The event inspired 150 new sign-ups, demonstrating their growing reach.
Founded in memory of Yuval’s brother, who was killed in a terror attack, Road to Recovery’s mission is to build bridges of empathy and peace by transporting Palestinian patients to Israeli hospitals for life-saving medical care. These journeys are made possible through the generosity of thousands of Israeli volunteer drivers. Amid profound loss and grief following October 7th, the organization reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to carrying forward the legacy of volunteers who embodied love, courage, and hope.
Celebrating Sukkot—Sustainably
Good People Fund grantee Zumwalt Acres is an ecological farm in Illinois founded by sisters Gavi and Remy Welber, which provides sustenance, learning, and spiritual engagement for the Jewish community while modeling sustainable agriculture and climate stewardship. They recently hosted a joyful Sukkot gathering with more than 50 participants of all ages in a “mega sukkah,” featuring a weekend of farm-based programming and a Saturday night Sukkot Seder filled with ritual, a playful spiel, and fresh, homegrown food.
Collective Lavo B’tov Launches New Program
Collective Lavo B’tov, founded by Shoshi Margolin and Rachel Kolette Wheeler, launched a mentor training program. It was an engaging and learning-filled two days of in-person training in Tel Aviv that will be continued by Zoom. These newly-trained mentors join a growing community of mentors who are empowering and supporting people with disabilities to overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams.
