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The Good People Fund

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Health and Well-being

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.

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.

Candles of Hope

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Pregnancy and infant loss is rarely discussed in Israeli society. Elysa Rapoport and her husband had very few resources available to them when they lost a child and went through their unique journey of grief. In Israel approximately 6 infants are stillborn per 1000 live births and 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in loss, but there was no national pregnancy and infant loss response or support services. (According to a 2016 study, the first of its kind in Israel, over a third of women who suffer pregnancy or infant loss go on to develop full PTSD.)

This young program has already held a national symposium which was very well attended. Our matching grant is directed towards a brochure to disseminate to the medical community and beyond.

MARVA

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For elders at risk of abuse or neglect, and young adults with mental or abuse challenges, MARVA is an extraordinary resource. Dr. Michal Wosner and Dr. Mickey Schindler, MARVA’s main visionaries, use their expertise in both the law and social work to create a holistic operation that reduces suffering, preserves independence and restores dignity.

“So often, legal or social welfare or therapeutic approaches are not enough or sufficient on their own,” said Dr. Schindler. “Each can be effective in some way, but not in a whole way, and not give a complete sort of intervention and solution.” MARVA’s model does just that.

Our grant helps establish a new office in Northern Israel.

Road to Recovery

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Road to Recovery’s volunteers provide transportation for people from West Bank and Gaza checkpoints to Israeli hospitals for critical care. Each ride fosters friendship between people for whom peaceful coexistence has been consistently unattainable — the positive outcome founder Yuval Roth was hoping for after losing his brother in a terrorist attack.

Despite Covid restrictions, volunteers made 9,650 trips for 15,000 patients. 2020 also saw the opening of RtoR’s new transportation logistics center and a partnership with Pesia’s Kitchen (another GPF grantee), to provide infant formula and non-perishables to patients who live where food is scarce. Our funds are used to purchase medical supplies and fuel.