The Good People Fund (www.goodpeoplefund.org), based in Millburn NJ, mentors and supports grassroots community based organizations led by visionaries who respond in creative ways to address society’s most intractable problems, be it hunger, poverty, disability, trauma and more. Since its inception in 2008, the fund has granted more than 5.3 million dollars in grants to more than 60 nonprofit organizations in Israel.
“We focus our efforts on those individuals who have chosen to use their talents and their passion to creatively resolve some problem in our world, whether its focus be as insurmountable as hunger or as defined as supporting women leaving forced or arranged marriages,” explains Naomi Eisenberger, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Good People Fund. “In each case the individual or small group acts as a visionary inspiring others to join their work to effect change. Since 2008, we have been able to provide more than $8,000,000 in grants to more than 150 non profit organizations based primarily in the United States and Israel.”
Highlights of the Fund’s 2015/2016 fiscal year grant recipients in Israel include; $335,000 for organizations focused on kids including Kaima, a program that utilizes sustainable organic farming to help young people who cannot learn in traditional environments and S.A.H.I. an organization that utilizes compassion and giving as tools to help youth-at-risk; $123,000 to organizations that alleviate hunger such as Pesia’s Kitchen in Tel Aviv which distributes literally tons of donated food and fresh produce; $81,000 to military organizations like Tzvika Levy’s Lone Soldier Program; $58,000 to organizations focused on easing poverty including Ten Gav, a crowdfunding platform that helps social workers manage the needs of Israel’s most vulnerable citizens; $45,000 to organizations that promote women’s empowerment including Yotsrot which trains women, exiting the cycle of abuse and prostitution, in fashion design and Ba’asher Teichi which supports Haredi women navigating the divorce process; $55,000 for organizations focused on alternative healing, like HAMA Israel’s animal-assisted therapy program that reduces emotional pain for many disorders; and $8,800 towards organizations like In Their Shoes which creates awareness and understanding of dementia and aging.
Project Kruvit is the most recent Israeli organization to become a grantee of The Good People Fund. This all volunteer program prepares and distributes high quality meals to 5,000 people for Passover, Shavout and Rosh Hashanah; a logistical challenge that involves an army of volunteers (about 8,000) who cook, shop, and deliver meals during a 48-hour period immediately before the chaggim (holidays) begin.
In all, the Good People Fund ended the 2015/2016 fiscal year making grants in excess of $1,500,000 to programs in Israel and the United States. Highlights of the Fund’s U.S. grant recipients include; $51,000 to organizations that address the needs of children including Atlanta’s Creating Connected Communities that trains local teens in leadership skills with a special focus on homelessness and advocacy and connects them to meaningful volunteer opportunities with disadvantaged kids; $38,000 to organizations like Boston-based Courageous Parents Network that empower parents to care for children with serious illness by maintaining an up to date virtual community system and $18,000 to organizations focused on alternative healing of body and mind such as Shelter Music Boston that performs live classical chamber music for displaced shelter residents who might not otherwise have the financial means or opportunity to experience music in less-accessible venues. Other grants were directed towards organizations focused on eldercare, hunger, women’s empowerment, poverty and veterans.
“One of the Fund’s most important goals is to give visibility and recognition to these nascent efforts so that others will join us in helping to support their work. We know that with the right amount of fiscal support and mentoring their work can flourish emphasizes Eisenberger. “With this in mind we continue our commitment to seek out these inspiring individuals and their good work and invest in their growth and success.”
Other philanthropists that would like to support these small grassroots organizations through the Good People Fund should contact Naomi at naomi@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. The GPF provides financial support and management guidance for small to medium grassroots efforts whose grant recipients are leading their non-profits with modest annual budgets 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 $8,000,000. Further information can be found at www.goodpeoplefund.org.
