FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Glenn Rosenkrantz
646 245 8975
New York, Oct. 2, 2023 — More than 60 social visionaries from throughout Israel and the United States — all heading grassroots organizations funded by The Good People Fund (GPF) — will convene in New York City for GPF’s first-ever (un)conference, Nov. 12-13.
The (un)conference, coinciding with GPF’s 15th anniversary year, is a singular in-person event and environment — open in part to the public — in which participants will showcase their work, explore common challenges, create long term connections for collaboration and mutual support, and be inspired to deepen the impact they are making in their communities and beyond.
The two-day event, hosted by Temple Shaaray Tefila in Manhattan, will bring together founders and leaders of GPF grantee organizations working along the spectrum of human and community needs, developing unique and often replicable models to address them, and changing the landscape of social action, responsibility and response. Their work ranges from the realms of food justice and LGBTQ+ rights, to educational opportunity and refugee assistance, for example.
“We are gathering in one place individuals who turned exposures to adversity and challenge into commitment to heal their communities, and by extension our world,” said Naomi Eisenberger, GPF Co-Founder and Executive Director. “Everyday, they teach us all to never look away, and that alone is a message for our troubled times and the imperative for the (un)conference.
“Additionally, the (un)conference underscores GPF’s mission to not only fund grassroots organizations practicing innovative approaches to longstanding and emerging societal challenges, but also to mentor and nurture them, give them the practical and inspirational tools to grow and ensure that none are existing in isolation.”
The (un)conference, so named because of the bottom-up way by which it was conceived and designed, will feature speakers including: Ruth Messinger, Global Ambassador for the American Jewish World Service; Rabbi Joel Mosbacher of Temple Shaaray Tefila; Jon Adam Ross, Executive Director and Co-Founding Artist of the In[HEIR]itance Project; John Beltzer, Founder and President of the Songs of Love Foundation; and Beth Huppin, Founding Director of Project Kavod at Jewish Family Service in Seattle, among others.
Topics to be examined over the two days run the gamut from best practices in social media, financial management and marketing, to the imperative of social justice work and self-care as a nonprofit professional in extraordinarily challenging environments. The full agenda and speaker list is at https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/the-unconference-2023/.
GPF is opening selected (un)conference programming to the public either in person or on live stream. Information, and registration for these sessions, is at https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/the-unconference-2023/sessions-speakers/#registration.
Rabbi Joel Mosbacher of Temple Shaaray Tefila, host of the (un)conference, noted its significance to the synagogue and greater communities, and urged public participation.
“Doing good, and trying to make the world better because we are a part of it, is in our very DNA,” Rabbi Mosbacher said. “The opportunity to meet people who have and are taking on humungous challenges in their communities and are making a big impact with the support of GPF … that is not something we get to do every day. I’m looking forward to the encouragement and strength that we all will get from welcoming the (un)conference to Temple Shaaray Tefila.”
Since its establishment in 2008, Millburn, NJ-based GPF has raised just over $27 million and has disbursed over $23.2 million to support and help grow 242 non-profit organizations primarily in the United States and Israel. In the fiscal year ending June 30, GPF raised just over $3 million.
GPF targets change-making initiatives in crucial areas including inclusion, health and well being, women’s and girls’ empowerment, welfare of children and youth, care of elders, hunger relief, food rescue, support of refugees, fighting antisemitism and hatred, and more.
The Good People Fund, founded in 2008, is inspired by ordinary people with extraordinary drive to make deep, uplifting impact in communities in the United States, Israel and elsewhere around the world. We find them, support them, counsel them … and watch as lives are changed and new and creative ways of addressing social and economic challenges take root and flourish. Our driving value is tikkun olam – repair of the world – and our extended family of visionaries, supporters and donors embrace the notion that small actions lead to huge impacts.
