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