FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Glenn Rosenkrantz
Glenn.rosenkrantz@gmail.com 646-245-8975

THE GOOD PEOPLE FUND ANNOUNCES NEARLY $1.5 MILLION IN
ISRAEL- AND U.S.-FOCUSED GRANTS

Diverse Group of Social Service and Humanitarian Organizations and Initiatives

July 20, 2017 — The Good People Fund (GPF) today announced nearly $1.5 million in Israel- and U.S.- focused grants as part of its mission supporting and advancing grassroots, community-based organizations meeting some of the most compelling and pressing societal challenges.

Across the spectrum of social and humanitarian needs – from poverty and hunger, to eldercare and youth-at-risk – the grants underscore GPF’s commitment to innovative, impactful work that improves and lifts lives and communities and are models for replication elsewhere.

“We proudly support and partner with these visionary organizations designing creative approaches that fill gaps in social and humanitarian services and structures across Israel and the United States,” said Naomi Eisenberger, GPF’s Co-Founder and Executive Director.

“Their work and impact underscore what change agents can achieve when their considerable entrepreneurial talents and passions are channeled toward the sacred value of tikkun olam, repair of the world.”

Since its inception in 2008, Millburn, NJ-based GPF has directed nearly $11.3 million to more than 130 non-profit organizations in Israel and the United States. Of the nearly $1.5 million announced today for the fiscal year that ended June 30, $1,008,033 will go to Israeli organizations, and $455,690 will be directed at programs in the United States.

“In each case, an individual or group of individuals saw a pressing need and developed an impassioned and unique way to address it,” Eisenberger said. “Our funding and mentoring give them visibility and recognition and hope that others will join us in supporting their work and deepening their impact.”

The Good People Fund targets initiatives in key crucial areas, including: Human Needs; Inclusion; Health; Women’s Empowerment; Children and Youth Welfare; Elder Care; Hunger and Food Rescue; Alternative Healing of Body and Mind; Literacy and Education; Military and Veteran Welfare; and, Refugee Support.

A full list of new grantees appears at www.goodpeoplefund.org. Among the grants announced today are:

• Pesia’s Kitchen – $61,800 for the collection and distribution of 200 tons of food per year to shelters, day care centers and other venues serving needy people in and around Tel Aviv. (Human Needs)

• Shalheveth – $43,400 to support operations – including a social worker and van driver – to enable Israeli adults with severe disabilities to lead autonomous lives and reach their potential in a non-institutional setting. (Inclusion)

• Jeremy’s Circle – $39,505 to support a community of care and socialization for Israeli children and teens who have a family member with cancer or who have lost a family member to the disease. (Health)

• Ba’asher Telchi – $22,500 to increase staffing and programming supporting religious and ultra-Orthodox women in Israel economically, socially and emotionally as they endure a separation or divorce. (Women’s Empowerment)

• SAHI (Special Grace Unit) – $32,000 to expand the organization’s programs for at-risk Israeli youth who deliver food packages to needy people and take part in other acts of loving kindness throughout Israel. (Children and Youth Welfare)

• LILY – Lifeforce in Later Years – $12,000 to support a social worker position in a community-based eldercare program that serves older seniors living at home in New York City. (Elder Care)

• Project Kruvit – $36,500 for the purchase of food for freshly cooked, high-quality holiday meals prepared by volunteers and delivered to 5,000 people throughout Israel for Pesach, Shavuot and Rosh Hashanah. (Hunger)

• Village Harvest – $6,000 to support fruit tree harvests from backyards and small orchards in Northern California, and the distribution of the food to organizations and needy people in the Bay Area. (Food Rescue)

• HAMA Israel (Humans and Animals in Mutual Assistance) – $60,675 to support several programs including one employing art, music and animal-assisted therapy to heal children in the Negev region traumatized by rocket attacks from nearby Gaza. (Alternative Healing of Body and Mind)

• Breaking the Chain Through Education – $4,500 to support the rescue of trafficked children in Ghana and restore their dignity by putting them on a path of education and renewal. (Literacy and Education)

• Plant it Forward – $16,600 to support organic farming initiatives and projects for refugees in Houston, allowing them to use their existing skills to grow crops to be sold at farmers markets and through farm shares. (Refugee Support)

Inspired by the Jewish value of tikkun olam (repairing the world), The Good People Fund responds to significant challenges such as poverty, disability, trauma and social isolation in the United States and Israel. The Good People Fund provides financial support and management guidance to small and medium-sized grassroots efforts that are determined to make a difference in their communities. With its guiding philosophy that small actions can have huge impact, The Good People Fund has raised and granted more than $11 million since its founding in 2008. www.goodpeoplefund.org

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.   

A connection many years ago, through the Ziv Tzedakah Fund, introduced Nina Mogilnik to the Good People Fund’s Founding Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger.  This Spring, 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 could not be happier having Nina join our dedicated Board of Trustees, as she brings extensive experience in the nonprofit and philanthropy worlds. Nina is a grant maker with a strong commitment to relationship building with grantees in addition to a central focus on  education, mental health, disabilities, and other social issues.  This connects deeply with our mission and philosophy,” said Naomi Eisenberger, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Good People Fund.

“I am delighted to deepen my longstanding connection with The Good People Fund by joining its board of trustees.  This feels like such a seamless evolution, and a wonderful way to enhance my more than decade-long involvement with The Fund and its important and urgently needed work.”  said Mogilnik.

Nina’s professional career has encompassed work in the philanthropic, nonprofit and government sectors, including as the first Senior Program Officer of the Altman Foundation, and as Founding Director of the Office of Public Private Partnerships for the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, during the Bloomberg Administration.  She is presently consulting to a select group of nonprofit and foundation clients and also serves on the board of Birch Family Services, a NYC-based nonprofit educational and disability services organization.  She is also an avocational writer, and has had a number of essays about her family’s experiences dealing with Alzheimer’s and autism published in Hadassah Magazine and in The Jewish Week.  Nina holds a BA in philosophy from Union College and MPhil from the University of Chicago.  She currently lives with her family in Great Neck, New York.

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. 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 Larry Paul to the Good People Fund’s Founding Executive Director Naomi Eisenberger.  This Spring, he 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.

“While Larry’s years of service and knowledge in the financial field as a planner will serve as an invaluable asset to our organization, his enthusiasm for our tzedakah model is equally important. He is  a mentor in his field and his dedication as a chazzan to his Jewish community are both values we admire and associate with at the Fund,” said Naomi Eisenberger, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Good People Fund.

Larry brings his expertise in many areas to the board of trustees.  He is a professional Certified Financial Planner™, Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative with Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. A natural educator, he teaches continuing education classes and conducts seminars for investors.  He is the creator of the “Brain Trust,” a group of financial planning professionals who meet bi-weekly to discuss investment ideas.  Larry also is chazzan for High Holiday services with Rabbi Avis Miller at Sixth and I Historic Synagogue in Washington, DC, where this year they will mark their  34th year together. He is a University of Maryland graduate, and proudly holds Series 7, 24, 31, 63 and 65 securities licenses.  He is married and the father of three children and one grandchild.

“The Fund’s Tzedakah work is definitely part of the work for Tikkun Olam. We have an amazing set of Good People beneficiaries meeting peoples’ needs in areas of Hunger Relief, Womens’ Empowerment, Poverty Solutions, Veterans’ Needs, Elders’ Assistance, Literacy, Kids’ Needs and more. The Good People Fund is part of the solution.”

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. 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

In 2008, a trip to a barbershop across the street from the elementary school where he was teaching sparked an idea for Alvin Irby. While observing one of his first grade students become antsy while waiting for a haircut, Irby thought to himself, “He really should be practicing his reading right now. I wish I had a book to give him.” That night Irby wrote down an idea to bring literacy opportunities to barbershops.  In 2013, he founded the nonprofit Reading Holiday Project, Inc. and created Barbershop Books (www.barbershopbooks.org), a community-based literacy program that places child-friendly reading spaces in barbershops for boys ages 4-8. The program uses a curated list of 15 culturally relevant, age appropriate, and gender responsive children’s books. This innovative program aims to give boys greater access to engaging books and to encourage boys to read for fun.  Unlike school or library- based literacy programs, Barbershop Books brings books and reading into a male- centered environment. It connects barbers and parents to the early reading experiences of young boys in a positive and culturally meaningful way.

Irby’s Barbershop Books program recently received an opening grant of $7,500 directed towards the purchase of new books and bookshelves for additional barbershop participation from The Good People Fund (https://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.

“Our mission from the start was to close the reading achievement gap for young black boys by using child-centered and high-impact strategies,” explains Irby. “We are grateful to our supporters, like the Good People Fund, who allow us to continue and grow this work.”

Alvin Irby studied Sociology and Economics at Grinnell College and received his M.S. degree in General Childhood Education from Bank Street College of Education and his MPA degree in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service. He has taught kindergarten and first grade in both charter and traditional public schools in Harlem and the Bronx. Prior to creating Barbershop Books, he served as Education Director at the Boys’ Club of New York in East Harlem.

“Alvin Irby is a passionate educator who is guided by his love of teaching and determination to make positive change in his community. He is committed to the vision he has set forth.” says Naomi Eisenberger, Founder and Executive Director of The Good People Fund.  “Alvin is a great example that one person can make a significant difference and we support all of his organization’s efforts.”

Currently, there are reading spaces in 11 New York City barbershops, reaching more than 440 boys annually. Just recently, NY1 News selected Barbershop Books founder Alvin Irby as the New Yorker of the Week. The immediate goal of the program is to change the way young boys and their families think about and interact with books. Barbershop Books uses barbershops and a curated list of books to help young boys of color identify as readers.

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

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