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The Good People Fund

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United States

New Neighbors Partnership

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Refugees arrive in the US from all over the world, for a variety of reasons, but what they are all seeking is a safer life for themselves and their children. Founded by Shoshana Akabas Barzel, New Neighbors Partnership has welcomed families from more than 32 different countries, including Afghanistan and Ukraine. Newly arrived families are matched with local “partner families” with slightly older children that share 2-3 clothing “hand-me-down” packages per year, creating a long-standing personal relationship between families. And through the Summer Book Project each child in their program (more than 400) received a new book to read over the summer.

Our matching funds are directed to the salary for additional staff.

My Child’s Cancer

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A cancer diagnosis is devastating to anyone, but when it is your child, the grief and confusion can be overwhelming. For Oded Grinstein and his wife, then living in Israel, there was one overarching goal — to find the best possible medical care for their nine-month-old daughter. Their exhaustive research led them to a major cancer center in the U.S. where a doctor with many years of experience with this specific type of rare cancer successfully treated the child. The Grinstein’s journey inspired them to create My Child’s Cancer which provides access to research, advocacy and support to families who are embarking on this journey.

Our grant was directed to funding expert opinions on neuroblastoma cases.

ZA’AKAH

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Asher Lovy grew up in the insular Haredi community of Borough Park, Brooklyn, and was sexually, physically and mentally abused by his mother.

The silence within that community – where discussion of such aggressions was neither welcome nor acknowledged – was unbearable. “I needed to go out and yell about it,” says Asher, who now heads ZA’AKAH (Hebrew for “outcry”) to advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community.

ZA’AKAH raises awareness of child sexual abuse, creates channels to address it and support survivors … and seeks to break the silence. A volunteer-based Shabbos and Yom Tov hotline provides peer-to-peer support, for example, and the organization helped pass the landmark Child Victims Acts in New York and New Jersey to give survivors a path to justice. Our funds cover administrative expenses.

NechamaComfort

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Reva Judas lost her son, shortly after birth, 35 years ago. At the time there were very few resources for families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss. Following this loss, Reva found herself counseling others. Hearing from people across the US and overseas, she quickly realized that there is a dearth of resources available to help those grieving this kind of loss. Her response was to obtain chaplaincy certification as well as certification as an Infant Loss Facilitator.

The organization supports people from all backgrounds and raises awareness of pregnancy and infant loss in the greater community and with professionals such as clergy, funeral directors, medical and mental health practitioners. Our matching funds are directed to administrative expenses.

Medical Justice Alliance

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Founder Dr. Mark Fenig is an emergency room physician in New York.  His organization MJA seeks out volunteer healthcare professionals to protect incarcerated people’s constitutional right to medical care. They also seek out volunteer attorneys to advocate in the courts on behalf of these rights.

The organization focuses on: advocacy (policy change) to ensure that incarcerated people receive the care they are entitled to; recruitment and training volunteer healthcare professionals to offer pro bono and heavily discounted expert medical witness services in legal claims involving incarcerated people; and educating medical professionals and attorneys about the need for their services and the best way to offer those services.

Our matching funds are directed to a new staff position for this volunteer-run effort.

Everyday Boston

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Cara Solomon is a born storyteller. Perhaps it was her earlier career as a journalist that directed her to create Everyday Boston, a powerful young program centered on the idea that “Stereotypes Divide Us and Stories Connect Us”.

Everyday Boston maintains an online multi-media library where residents share their stories. A youth program teaches kids empathy along with interviewing skills, while the Bridge Project provides formerly incarcerated people with a vehicle to tell their stories while becoming part of the community.

“More Than a Vaccine: Storytelling to Build Medical Trust” is Cara’s latest project. It amplifies the stories of Black, Indigenous and People of Color and bridges the divide between healthcare providers and BIPOC.

Our matching funds underwrite a digital media producer position.