In 2010, Barry Hoffner’s love for travel took him to Timbuktu for a music festival. While there, he spent time in some of the nearby villages and was taken aback by the staggering illiteracy rates in these under served areas, in some cases as high as ninety percent. When he returned home to Marin County, he founded Caravan to Class (www.caravantoclass.org) with the goal of rebuilding the educational infrastructure to the villages around Timbuktu, Mali and Sub-Sahara, Africa. This US-based organization partners with local non-governmental organizations (NGO) to reverse the injustice of illiteracy, one village at a time.  Caravan to Class’ programs provide education to 1,000 students annually. They also organize and fund the teachers, books, school uniforms, food, and infrastructure such as classrooms, libraries, canteens and latrines in these villages.

Hoffner’s Caravan to Class recently received an opening grant of $5,000 to help underwrite the building of two new schools from The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org). The Fund is an organization rooted in the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and offers financial support and mentorship to small, effective initiatives in Israel and the U.S.

“Barry’s decision to address the injustices he saw while visiting the region  is what motivated the Good People Fund to support Caravan to Class.” says Naomi Eisenberger, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Good People Fund. Eisenberger will be meeting with Hoffner and other grantees in the Bay area this month.  “Proving once again that one person can make a significant difference, we support Barry’s successful efforts to help create the first generation of literate children in many of the villages around Timbuktu and Southern Sahara.”

To date, Caravan to Class has built eight schools in Africa.  In many cases, the children of these communities are the first generation in their village to be literate. For as little as $120 per year, they are able to educate a child in a government-approved school. Since building their first school, Caravan to Class has become an important force for the revitalization of the region. Guided by the simple principle that “going to school” is a fundamental human right, they remain committed  to serving the area long-term. The organization recently announced plans to add an adult female literacy class.

“We are committed to providing solutions that help break the cycle of illiteracy for these children and their families,” explains Hoffner. “We are grateful to our supporters, like the Good People Fund, who allow us to continue this work, bringing opportunity to an entire village.”

This ‘good person’- led non-profit joins nearly 80 other non-profits financially supported and professionally guided by The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org) in the U.S. and Israel.  Founded in 2008, The Good People Fund, inspired by the Jewish concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world), responds to significant problems such as poverty, disability, trauma and social isolation, primarily in the United States and Israel. The GPF provides financial support and management guidance for small to medium grassroots efforts whose grant recipients are leading their non-profits with annual budgets under $500,000 and no professional development staff, but are driven and determined to make a difference in their communities. With its guiding philosophy that small actions can have huge impacts and its emphasis on the personal connection, the GPF has raised and granted more than $7 million dollars. Further information can be found at www.goodpeoplefund.org

For further information, contact news@goodpeoplefund.org or 508-314-4304

It has been four years since Naomi Eisenberger, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org) first connected with Fraidy Reiss, Founder and Executive Director of UnCHAINED At Last.  From the start, Naomi believed in Fraidy’s determination and mission to build and grow UnCHAINED At Last from the ground up, and soon became the organization’s first major supporter.  Fraidy’s own experience of leaving an abusive, arranged marriage within an insular religious community inspired her to start UnCHAINED at Last to help others who needed to do the same but did not have the resources or know how.  The Good People Fund is an organization rooted in the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam (repairing the world) that offers financial support and mentorship to small, effective initiatives in the U.S. and Israel , dedicated to repairing the world.  Since 2012, UnCHAINED at Last has received nearly $60,0000 from the Fund in grants to support clients as well as to help build the organization’s infrastructure.

On October 17th, Eisenberger, along with Susan Fleisch, MSW, LSCW, who serves on Unchained’s board of advisors and who both have worked tirelessly to help unchain women from coercive marriages, will be honored at their annual event for the work they have done with UnCHAINED at Last.  Since its inception in 2011, UnCHAINED at Last has provided free legal and social services to help women and girls leave or avoid arranged/forced marriages and rebuild their lives. UnCHAINED at Last also raises awareness about coercive marriages in the U.S. and pushes for relevant legislation to protect them.

“I don’t think I will ever forget the day in 2011 when Fraidy visited me in my home office. She was impressive. For someone who had been raised in a closed, tightly restricted environment Fraidy was remarkably savvy and profoundly passionate about helping others who have endured the same experiences that she herself survived,” explains Eisenberger. “Because our work focuses on visionaries who want to change some injustice in this world, Fraidy was a perfect candidate for funding and mentorship from the Good People Fund.”

The theme of the event is UnWINED with UnCHAINED and boasts an evening of good will, great spirits, a silent auction and live music, all to benefit women and girls fleeing forced marriages.  “These women and girls, many who have survived being raped, beaten and/or shunned by their families, are an inspiration,” said Jeanne Gordon, UnCHAINED’s board president.  Visit www.unchainedatlast.org/unwined to register or find our more information.

For further information, contact news@goodpeoplefund.org or 508-314-4304

This ‘good person’’- led non-profit joins nearly eighty other nonprofits in the U.S. and Israel that are financially supported and professionally guided by The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org).  Founded in 2008, The Good People Fund, inspired by the Jewish concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world), responds to significant problems such as poverty, disability, trauma and social isolation, primarily in the United States and Israel. We provide financial support and management guidance for small to medium grassroots efforts. Our grant recipients are leading their nonprofits with annual budgets under $500,000 and no professional development staff but are driven and determined to make a difference in their communities. With its guiding philosophy that small actions can have huge impacts and its emphasis on the personal connection, the GPF has raised and granted more than $7 million dollars since its inception. Further information can be found at www.goodpeoplefund.org

A psychology major with background as both a personal trainer, athletic instructor and support counselor for disabled adults, Jared Ciner channeled these passions into the Spirit Club Foundation (www.spirit-club.com) with an eye towards creating opening up meaningful health and fitness opportunities for people with disabilities.   Founded in April 2013, the Spirit Club offers group and 1:1 exercise and socially inclusive programming that teach its participants to adopt healthy and active lifestyles.

Max Levitt, founder of another DC area non-profit, Leveling the Playing Field, which collects sports equipment and gets it to kids who would not otherwise experience the many benefits of sports activities, introduced the Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org) to Ciner and his work. The Good People Fund (GPF) is an organization rooted in the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and offers financial support and mentorship to small, effective initiatives in Israel and the U.S. Spirit-Club recently received an opening grant of $5,000 to support their growing efforts.

Ciner grew up in Denver, Colorado where he attended a local Jewish day school, was actively involved with the Denver JCC and spent a year studying and volunteering in Israel. He credits his parents’ deep connection to Judaism and their encouragement of Jewish practice and values, as having had a huge impact on his life today.  The summer after college, Jared spent one month in Ethiopia volunteering at a school for children from severely impoverished backgrounds. While there, he organized sports and exercise activities for them. That experience inspired Jared to pursue a profession that would include organized fitness and exercise programs for underserved populations. After receiving a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland and certification as a personal trainer, he began working as a support counselor for people with developmental disabilities, and within one year created the Spirit Club. He now lives in Bethesda, Maryland.

“When we asked Max Levitt, another young visionary and grantee of the Good People Fund, if he knew of others of his generation who were involved in the non-profit world, he shared Jared’s work with Spirit Club. After speaking to Jared we knew that his unique focus on this type of service for people with disabilities was something we wanted to be part of.” says Naomi Eisenberger, Founder and Executive Director of The Good People Fund. Eisenberger will be visiting with Ciner and his Spirit Club members this October during a visit with GPF grantees in the Washington, DC area. “We support Jared and Spirit-Club’s successful efforts to bring access to fitness and overall well-being to this often overlooked community.“

Participants in Spirit Club attend hour-long classes each week instructed by at least two certified personal trainers.  The classes open with fun and interactive themed exercises that give each member a chance to introduce themselves. The activities incorporate different types of fitness equipment such as medicine balls, resistance bands, stability balls, and agility ladders.  All members are provided with portfolios to track their progress throughout the week. The classes conclude with a review of at-home health assignments, healthy snacks and time to socialize and consult with the personal trainers.  Jared is joined by Spirit Club co-founder Sam Smith, a proud man with autism who is also a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Smith’s goal is to motivate others with his passion and enthusiasm for health and fitness.

Jared shares that “We are excited to now be part of the Good People Fund’s circle of grantees. The demand for our services continues to increase and this assistance will enable us to offer fitness and health programming to people with disabilities throughout Maryland.”

This ‘good person’- led non-profit joins nearly 80 other non-profits financially supported and professionally guided by The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org) in the U.S. and Israel.  Founded in 2008, The Good People Fund, inspired by the Jewish concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world), responds to significant problems such as poverty, disability, trauma and social isolation, primarily in the United States and Israel. The GPF provides financial support and management guidance for small to medium grassroots efforts whose grant recipients are leading their non-profits with annual budgets under $500,000 and no professional development staff, but are driven and determined to make a difference in their communities. With its guiding philosophy that small actions can have huge impacts and its emphasis on the personal connection, the GPF has raised and granted more than $7 million dollars. Further information can be found at www.goodpeoplefund.org

For further information, contact news@goodpeoplefund.org or 508-314-4304

A connection many years ago through the Ziv Tzedakah Fund, introduced Amee Huppin Sherer to the Good People Fund’s Founding Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger. This summer she joined their Board of Trustees. The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org) is a national organization rooted in the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam (repairing the world) that offers financial support and mentorship to small, effective initiatives in Israel and the U.S.

“We are excited to have Amee join our dedicated Board of Trustees. Amee’s extensive leadership experience and her deep understanding of our mission and philosophy, makes her the perfect addition to the board,” said Naomi Eisenberger, Founder and Executive Director of The Good People Fund.

“I am delighted to be working with Naomi again as I join The Good People Fund’s board of trustees” said Sherer. “I have always resonated deeply with this kind of microphilanthropy and the educational and social impact it has to help us make the world a better place. I look forward to learning more about each of the grantees and seeing how I can lend my energy and time to this worthwhile organization.”

Sherer has been working as a Jewish educator in the Seattle area for over 25 years. She has taught almost every age group from first grade to adults, and most recently was on the faculty at the Seattle Jewish Community School for thirteen years where she enjoyed leading the monthly tzedakah projects and teaching her students about how to think about giving tzedakah effectively and efficiently. She also serves on the board of Camp Solomon Schechter as the Chair of the Development Committee. She has her BA in Jewish Studies and her Masters in Education, both from UW. In the early nineties, she served as the Hillel program director for three years and then as the Acting Director in 1995. In 2011, she received the Pamela Waechter Jewish Communal Professional Award, which recognizes professionals working at a Jewish communal institution and for significant and ongoing contributions to the general good of the Seattle Jewish community.

About The Good People Fund
Founded in 2008, The Good People Fund, inspired by the Jewish concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world), responds to significant problems such as poverty, disability, trauma and social isolation, primarily in the United States and Israel. We provide financial support and management guidance for small to medium grassroots efforts. Our grant recipients are leading their nonprofits with annual budgets under $500,000 and no professional development staff but are driven and determined to make a difference in their communities. With its guiding philosophy that small actions can have huge impacts and its emphasis on the personal connection, the GPF has raised and granted more than $7 million dollars since its inception in 2008. Further information can be found at www.goodpeoplefund.org

The Interfaith Food Pantry (IFPO) (www.orangesfoodpantry.org) provides supplemental and emergency food to low-income residents in Orange and East Orange. They are the recent recipient of a challenge grant from the Millburn-based organization, The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org), which offers financial support and mentorship to small, effective initiatives dedicated to repairing the world. IFPO received an opening grant of $5,000 as part of a challenge grant.

What sets IFPO apart from the many other nonprofits is that it is a collaboration of interfaith groups working together and looking to solve problems of hunger and poverty from within their own communities. IFPO is a joint effort of four religious institutions in Short Hills and South Orange, New Jersey—Christ Church, Congregation Beth El, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, and Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel. IFPO operates out of the Church of the Epiphany located at 105 Main Street in Orange, New Jersey.

“The IFPO is a great example of not only interfaith cooperation but also neighboring communities stepping up to offer help where it is needed. We often wonder how many local problems could be eradicated if this model were used more widely,” says Naomi Eisenberger, Executive Director of the Good People Fund. “For most of us who lead comfortable lives the inability to purchase and have available toiletries and personal hygiene products is not an issue. For people who must decide between food or medicine rather than toothpaste or deodorant the ability of IFPO to now be able to distribute such products to their clients is quite significant.”

IFPO is totally volunteer driven and today serves close to 17,300 individuals, of whom nearly 40 percent are children. Clients include single men and women, veterans, senior citizens, families with young children, new immigrants, single parents, people with disabilities and individuals who are employed but do not make sufficient income to meet their basic food needs. Even if a person does not have a referral letter or other proof of need, the IFPO team does their best to make sure no one goes hungry.

IFPO’s board and advisory board members are active volunteers in the organization, arranging volunteer schedules, stocking the pantry, coordinating deliveries and anything else needed to insure that the operation runs smoothly. “The IFPO has been helping families for nearly 20 years with food assistance in a dignified and respectful way,” explains Jodi Cooperman. Jodi is a member of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun and treasurer of IFPO. “We are very happy to be connected with the Good People Fund and the network of grantees they have built. Just last month we took part in their program that sorted and distributed thousands of new housewares, clothing and food items to twelve service agencies in this area by way of another GPF grantee, the Redistribution Center of Colorado. As a result, we were able to provide items to families recently displaced by fires in this area.”

IFPO exemplifies how an organization can use its creative vision to help meet basic human needs, while operating with very low overhead and generating inspiring results. IFPO is supported by food donations, food drives, and monetary donations from member congregations, businesses and private individuals as well as local schools, clubs, teams and other organizations. Its goal is to reduce hunger in Orange and East Orange and to fight hunger in New Jersey.

This ‘good people’-led nonprofit joins seventy other nonprofits financially supported and professionally guided by The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org).

For further information contact news@goodpeoplefund.org.

Founded in 2008, The Good People Fund, inspired by the Jewish concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world), responds to significant problems such as poverty, disability, trauma and social isolation, primarily in the United States and Israel. We provide financial support and management guidance for small to medium grassroots efforts. Our grant recipients are leading their nonprofits with annual budgets under $500,000 and no professional development staff but are driven and determined to make a difference in their communities. With its guiding philosophy that small actions can have huge impacts and its emphasis on the personal connection, the GPF has raised and granted more than $6 million dollars since its inception in 2008.

Further information can be found at www.goodpeoplefund.org.

The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org), a non-profit, Tzedakah initiative deeply rooted in the work of Tikkun Olam in the US and Israel, has announced a new fellowship program in partnership with the national education consortium NewCAJE, in which participants spend a year focused on merging Jewish education strategies with service-learning and social action tactics. The Good People Fund NewCAJE 2015 Fellowship Program includes three $700 scholarships. Jewish educators, full or part-time, in the field of Jewish education for 5-8 years are eligible to apply through May 26, 2015 at https://goodpeoplefund.wufoo.com/forms/good-people-fund-fellowship-at-newcaje/

“Through a targeted year-long program, this new fellowship opportunity was created to enhance and support the work of Jewish educators who are focused on service-learning, tzedakah or social action content in their settings,” explains Robyn Faintich, The Good People Fund’s Education Consultant.  “We are looking forward to combining the launch of the fellowship with the annual NewCAJE conference which emphasizes the sharing of information, learning new Jewish education techniques, and sharing problem solutions.”

The fellowship begins with a series of sessions led by Faintich and Rabbi Steven Bayar.  The sessions will focus on the building blocks of service-learning and goals and strategies of volunteerism and social action. Additional sessions focus on the Good People Fund Grab ‘n’ Go Lessons-  modular curriculum guides, which provide educators with an all-encompassing lesson which includes everything from set induction activities to text study to hands-on application.  The Grab ‘n’ Go Lessons are each centered around a Good People Fund grantee and the passionate work they do to improve the world.  The lessons are designed so educators can easily adapt them for a variety of learning settings. Fellows will utilize these and other Good People Fund education tools through the year. Following the conference, the fellowship will continue through a series of web-based meetings.

Full details of the fellowship program can be found at https://goodpeoplefund.wufoo.com/forms/good-people-fund-fellowship-at-newcaje/

Founded in 2008, The Good People Fund, inspired by the concept of Tikkun Olam repairing the world, responds to significant problems such as poverty, disability, trauma and social isolation, primarily in the United States and Israel. We provide financial support and management guidance for small to medium grassroots efforts. Our grant recipients are leading their non-profits with annual budgets under $500,000 and no professional development staff but are driven and determined to make a difference in their communities. With its guiding philosophy that small actions can have huge impacts and its emphasis on the personal connection, the GPF has raised and granted more than $6 million dollars since its inception in 2008. For more information on The Good People Fund or how you can support its grantees and their efforts, visit https://www.goodpeoplefund.org.

NewCAJE is a pluralistic organization that brings together all settings of Jewish education; welcomes anyone involved in the transmission of  Jewish culture, custom and belief; includes people in all job descriptions in the field including both professional and lay leaders; advocates for Jewish education and for Jewish teachers; and is a forum where new ideas are explored, new talent welcomed, and a multitude of ideas and resources shared. More information on NewCAJE can be found at http://www.newcaje.org

Contact: Rachel Litcofsky 
508-314-4304 | Rachel@goodpeoplefund.org