Project 014: Nominees, Please

UPDATE: Nominations are closed. We still have a bunch of submissions in our inbox, though, so if you sent one in and don’t see it on the list yet, just be patient.

Sometimes, a hero’s work goes without praise. But here at GOOD, we think that’s a shame. We think that the people who are making strides toward excellence deserve a pat on the back and a round of applause. And we think that you deserve to know about them.

Beginning this year, we’re assembling an annual list of people, businesses, and institutions driving change in the world, and we’re calling it the GOOD 100. But in order to put it together, we need your help. We want you to let us know about someone—in your community or anywhere on earth—who is making the world a better place. Do it by any means necessary. Write an essay. Snap a photo. Shoot a video. Build a sculpture. Just find a creative way to nominate someone for the GOOD 100, and send that entry to projects[at]goodmagazine[dot]com.

THE ASSIGNMENT:
Nominate someone for the GOOD 100.

THE REQUIREMENTS:
A photo, an email, a video, or all three.

THE DETAILS:
Email your entry to projects[at]goodmagazine.com. We'll publish them below as they come in.

WATCH:
One nominee will be featured on a special episode of GOOD News, sponsored by Lexus. Watch at good.is/news.

SUBMISSIONS:

From Tad Beckwith:

"I'd like to nominate Brent Bolton for the Good 100. Brent Bolton is the co-founder of Ecospeed, a sustainable transportation small business based in Portland, Oregon and he's somebody whose cruisin' for good. Brent designed a better alternative with his Electric Mid-drives and Electric Mountain Drives for bikes and trikes that are the only electric bike assists that use the full gearing of the bike so you can climb up hills and cruise on the flats without the motor lugging down."

Learn more at ecospeed.com.

From Maxine Mitchell:

"I’d like to nominate the Center to Promote HealthCare Access, for the GOOD 100. The Center is a California-based nonprofit that manages a dynamic and innovative Web-based system known as One-e-App. One-e-App provides an efficient one-stop approach to screening application submission and enrollment in a range of public sector health and social service programs, ranging from healthcare programs like Medicaid to food support programs like Food Stamps. One-e-App - used extensively in California and also in Arizona, Indiana and Maryland - reduces the amount of time needed to complete an application, improves the efficiency of application processing, and improves application approval rates.  All of this adds up to connecting people more quickly and effectively to needed benefits. One-e-App is committed to bringing modern and effective technologies to low-income high-need areas to increase access to much needed public benefits."

Learn more at oneeapp.org.

From Kimberly Worthington:

"I'd like to nominate Couchsurfing.org. Couchsurfing is helping to renew a sense of community around the world and it provides for a cheaper, more realistic way of traveling. I believe only the truest folk join and participate. I have experience with both hosting travelers, and being a couchsurfer traveling. I have enjoyed just about all of my experiences equally! I now have connections in England, Spain, San Francisco, Memphis, and many many more across the globe."

Learn more at couchsurfing.org.

From Ankit Bhurat:

"I would like to recommend Mr. B P Agarwal founder of Sustainable Innovations. He is committed to bringing water to the driest state of India, i.e. Rajasthan (west India). His project named Aakash Ganga – a rainwater harvesting project that literally means "river from the skies" – is working in Rajasthan and recently got a project approved in China (Guiyang Municipality). In Rajasthan, the project - backed by the World Bank - has already been implemented in six villages. A letter of intent has now been signed with the state government for its extension to 70 villages, to provide water security to 200,000 people. In 2007, he founded SI as a non-profit corporation 'to harness innovations for making safe drinking water available to rural villages and for delivery of healthcare to vulnerable populations.'"

Learn more at sustainableinnovations.us.

From Joe Sciarillo:

"Since 1997, JC Orton has served over 100,000 meals to the homeless and neediest residents of Berkeley and Oakland, California. JC Orton, the Coordinator of Night on the Streets – Catholic Worker has devoted himself tirelessly to serving the dispossessed on the East Bay in Northern California. In addition to regular meals to those in whom he sees 'that spark of divinity,' JC runs an overnight storm shelter in winter, a pantry operation, and soup nights three nights a week during winter, where he is often seen handing out sleeping bags and blankets to the homeless from his weathered, dark blue VW Catholic Worker van. He also provides a mail service to the homeless, helps them with taxes, visits them in hospitals and prisons, and is the personal caregiver to Berkeley’s over 800 homeless people."

Learn more at the Night on the Streets - Catholic Worker website.

From Joshua To:

"I'd like to nominate Ricky Opaterny for the GOOD 100. He was a co-worker at Google who was responsible for starting the @Google Talks program -- a program to bring the leading authors, musicians, politicians and thought leaders to Google for talks about their latest work and Q&A sessions. He was also responsible for leading the campaign to save a local bookstore: Kepler's."


Learn more at savekeplers.com, visit Ricky's blog, and watch @GoogleTalks on YouTube.

From Hunter Metcalf:

"I would like to nominate The Creative Visions Foundation with the founders Kathy Eldon and Amy Eldon Turteltaub. Creative Visions Foundation is inspired by the life of Dan Eldon, an artist, photographer, adventurer and activist killed in Somalia in 1993 while covering the conflict as a photojournalist for Reuters News Agency. Creative Visions Foundation was founded in his memory by his mother, Kathy Eldon along with Dan's sister, Amy Eldon Turteltaub. Creative Visions Foundation is a publicly supported 501(c)3 organization that supports “Creative Activists” like Dan - who use media and the arts to catalyze positive change in the world around them. Creative Visions Foundation helps to develop and promote that vital social change in the world. The foundation works in conjunction with its sister company, Creative Visions Productions, which produces engaging and educational content."

Learn more at creativevisions.org.

From Caitlin Tridle:

"I would like to nominate the non-profit Yoga Bear for the Good 100. While yoga is not a cure, it IS an outlet for people with cancer to find peace, wellness and a healthy physical activity.  The team at Yoga Bear has touched the lives of thousands of people affected by cancer.  Since it's founding in 2006, Yoga Bear has grown to include more than 160 partnering yoga studios across the country.  You can find Yoga Bear in over half the states—and the program is growing! One of the most unique aspects about this organization is that there's no paid staff!  From the yoga teachers, to the legal counsel, to the executive director—the hard work that makes Yoga Bear possible is driven solely by volunteers.  Not only is Yoga Bear reshaping the way we think about impact and grassroots initiatives, but they are leading a fight for more complementary treatments for people with cancer."

Learn more at yogabear.org.

From Dan Condon:

"Eagle Rock is both a school for high school age students (who were not on track to graduating or had already dropped out) and a professional development center for adults, particularly educators. The school is a year-round, residential, and full-scholarship school that enrolls young people ages 15-17 from around the United States in an innovative learning program with national recognition. The Professional Development Center hosts educators from around the world who wish to study how to re-engage students in learning, keep them in school, get them graduated, and help them go on to make a difference in the world."

Learn more at eaglerockschool.org.

From Chris Harper:

"Affectionately know as Dr. Chris, Dr. Christian Isichei founded the Faith Alive Clinic as a counseling center in 1996 and it has since grown into a full service medical clinic seeing nearly 10,000 patients each month.  The clinic sees mostly HIV/AIDS patients, even providing them with life-saving ARV's, and does it all without charging anything for their services.  Every patient, regardless of social status, religion, or sex, many of whom would otherwise have no access to care or medication, gets seen for free. The clinic also extends it's reach by providing counseling, education, and even skill training to help patients live the best life possible even in the face of a deadly disease. Dr. Chris is truly an inspirational man, and someone who we could all stand to learn from."

Learn more at faithalivenigeria.org.

From Matthew Krawse:

"I nominate Seth Godin for the GOOD 100. He currently writes one of the most popular marketing blogs in the world, is the author of 10 bestselling books, and is the founder of several successful companies. Although I am humbled, as I assume most are by these accomplishments, I am not nominating him because of them. I am nominating Seth Godin because he is a “social motivator.” He is an agent of change who leads fearlessly without hesitation and leaves inspired and motivated individuals in his wake. In short: Seth creates change. He inspires, drives, and motivates change all over the world, everyday."

Learn more sethgodin.com.

From Kelly Shelton:

"I would like to nominate my husband, Mark Haak for the GOOD 100. He has always been an advocate of living a "good" life and sharing the everyday joys of it with others. Mark initiated a fundraising campaign by buying fair trade necklaces handmade by HIV positive women at an AIDS hospital he visited while in Uganda. He worked with a local Rotary club to get matching grants and teamed up with his new friends at a partner club in Uganda to decide what  was the greatest need in the area - clean water. We have just begun the process of building 10 water tanks to harvest rainwater and provide safe, clean drinking water for 3 schools. A few years ago he founded Design for Good, a creative communications/design studio that dedicates its time working with socially and environmentally responsible organizations.  He's collaborating with other designers, fundraisers and artists to work on projects that help organizations around the world spread their messages and achieve their goals."

Learn more at designforgood.ca

From Tim Cigelske:

"I'd like to nominate Nathan Winters of FollowNathan.org. He's biking across the country to raise money for the Nature Conservancy, and taking some amazing photos along the way."

Learn more at follownathan.org.

From Nikta Akhavan:

"As a non-profit, non-partisan organization, Iranian Alliances Across Border (IAAB) achieves its mission to raise awareness of the Iranian diaspora community (the community of Iranians who have left Iran and now reside in America, Europe, Canada, etc.), promote leadership in the youth, and connect Iranians across various borders through its various projects. Additionally, IAAB focuses on the youth diaspora community, mainly comprised of second-generation Iranians, as we will build our futures. We believe that in order to have a strong, well-connected community in the future, we must work on creating a strong base of leaders at an early age, while exposing the youth to our culture and providing a space for networking at an early age."

Learn more at iranianalliances.org.

From Kalid Azad:

"I'd like nominate Jolkona Foundation. They're using social networks and the internet to make charitable giving more appealing for youth, and the founders are extremely passionate about this space."

Learn more at jolkona.org.

From Mike Cui:

"Well Done has seen through the implementation of five (going on six) water projects in some of the most remote and underserved communities in Ghana, has increased awareness of the global crisis among countless individuals here at home, has developed creative partnerships with various NGOs, small businesses, and scholars to collaboratively push the effort forward, and not the least, has inspired several of us to take our skills and passions and follow suit."

Learn more at welldone.org.

From Ananda Shorey:

"I would like to nominate Gustavo Fernandez for the Good 100. The photographer from Pleasant Hill, Calif., is riding a Harley Davidson to more than 20 cities across the U.S. this summer to raise money for underprivileged children in the Dominican Republic. During the 5,000-mile trek that begins July 13, Fernandez is shooting portraits in exchange for a donation to Children International, a humanitarian organization based in Kansas City that provides resources for education as well as medical and dental care for children from Third World nations."

Learn more at the Hog For Kids website.

From Pierre Blondin:

"I would like to nominate Josh To, founder of Brute Labs, for the GOOD 100. Mr. To's organization is a collection of young people who embody a desire to do good and put that desire to work at any problem they uncover. Most recently, Josh and his team have focused on ways to provide clean drinking water to villages in the developing world through the drilling and installation of wells. Their first two installations took place in the Nso Nyame ye and Babianeha villages in Ghana. Their previous projects have tackled everything from homelessness and natural disaster relief to energy and child obesity. What's impressive about their work is that they don't necessarily approach these issues with any great expertise but rather simply with passion and idealism and the belief that they can make differences for the better. And differences, they have made."

Learn more at brutelabs.org.

From Shawn Carkonen:

"I enthusiastically nominate Seth Warren of the Elements Tour: Nature Propelled for inclusion on the Good 100 list. Begun in August 2008, the yearlong Elements Tour is following the complete water cycle – from oceans to clouds to mountains and rivers and back to the ocean – with the goal of educating students (K – 12) about what they can do to satisfy their energy needs using renewable sources, and what they can do to live more sustainable lives in general. To spread the message, Warren is touring in a converted Japanese fire engine, dubbed "Baby," that he has completely overhauled so that it can run on any natural oil, from fish oil to used restaurant grease. Kids go absolutely wild for this unique rig and it sparks their imagination – which is a huge part of Seth’s mission. He wants to inspire creative thinking and instill a love of science in kids so that they go on to create clean energy systems and inventions in the future."

Learn more at naturepropelled.com.

From Ashley White-Stern:

"For the last eighteen months, Asiya Wadud (who has worked at Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard and as a bartender at Chez Panisse) has steadily gathered momentum behind her East Bay fruit forage and barter project: Forage Oakland.  The project's motto, 'What is Good is Given Back' illustrates Wadud's commitment to addressing how we eat everyday, sharing good food, promoting sustainability, and facilitating strong, healthy, local communities.  Started back in 2007 as an 'edible guide to Rockridge' for her friends, Forage Oakland is now robust enough to accomodate a network of over 120 Oakland residents, who have leapt at the chance to exchange excess lemons, loquats, avocados, grapefruit, rosemary, or lavender with their neighbors."

Learn more at the Forage Oakland blog.

From Tania K:

"American Homeowner Preservation based in Cincinnati works to negotiate short sales for homeowners who are in foreclosure. Thy find an investor to lease the home back to the homeowner and then allow them to repurchase the home for a much lower price. Unlike buyback schemes, the company doesn't require money upfront from the homeowner and everything is recorded in writing to protect the homeowner's rights. They genuinely do care about people and want to keep them in their homes."

See videos of homeowners speaking with AHP on YouTube.

From Yuyu Kaneko:

I would like to nominate One Million Ways for the GOOD 100. One Million Ways is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that aims to connect people of all ages through acts of kindness and to amplify their kindness by matching every good deed logged on our website with a $1 donation to a project in a developing nation. Ultimately we hope to empower people to become more active both locally and globally. Our goal is to log one million good deeds on our website www.onemillionways.org and to raise $1 million for grassroots organizations around the world.

Learn more at onemillionways.org.

From Katie Taylor:

"It is my privilege and pleasure to nominate Mobilize.org for the GOOD 100.  Millennial generated and Millennial led, Mobilize.org has been providing opportunities for the members of the Millennial Generation to have their voices heard and has been a tireless advocate for Millennials nationwide.  Mobilize.org is an all-partisan network dedicated to educating, empowering, and energizing Millennials to increase our civic engagement and political participation. The network works to show Millennials how public policy impacts our lives, and more importantly – how we can impact public policy."

Learn more at mobilize.org.

From Eric Davies:

"I'd like to nominate Jen Davies who donates 30-40% of her companies production capacity to NPO's and NGO's."

Learn more at somaegroup.com.

From Kirk Eklund:

"I would like to nominate the Nutrition in Action team of the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids.  They spend their days teaching nutrition and physical activity to kids and families living in and around Grand Rapids.  The obesity and diabetes epidemics often hit lower income people the hardest and that is who their energy is most focused on.  Funded through the state of Michigan and a USDA grant they provide nutrition education free of charge to low-income/high risk schools and community sites.  They have also created several urban garden sites around Grand Rapids to teach that aspect of the accessibility of nutrition."

Learn more at grymca.org.

From Jamie Walton:

"I would like to nominate the not-for-profit human rights charity Ahava Kids. Established in 2004, Ahava Kids is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit human rights organization dedicated to the rescue and care of human trafficking victims in the United States and throughout the world. We accomplish this through our coordinated efforts of Intervention, Care and Prevention. This is the most effective method for removing young people from the numerous dangers of trafficking while giving them the best chance for survival and a decent life."

Learn more at ahavakids.org.

From Whitney Soenksen:

"Deborah McClung is the founder and volunteer executive director of Saving Our Sisters, Inc. which was developed in 2006 by a group of women with various experience with long term recovery, healthcare, residential services, and serving the disability community. The mission of Saving Our Sisters is to provide support services and a safe, drug free residence for women who want to recover from drug and alcohol addiction. Deborah's volunteer service is daily as a leader and friend for women with drug dependencies. She strives to assist women in need each day and makes time to hear their stories from addiction to recovery.  In 2008 she started the 'Change a Life' Campaign by simply going to the local Giant store and requesting donations. Deborah runs workshops and sessions for women in the program as well as providing substance-free housing. She also supports women through sponsorship in the 12-step program."

Learn more at savingoursisters.org.

From Kelly Anderson:

"I'd like to recommend the Center of Excellence in Syracuse, NY for the GOOD 100. The SyracuseCoE is
an industry-university collaborative organization that creates environmental and energy innovations for a sustainable future. Our members address global challenges in three focus areas: clean and renewable energy, indoor environmental quality, and water resources. SyracuseCoE projects leverage an extensive community of experts and unique facilities available through more than 200 companies, organizations, and institutions. Our members conduct targeted research, demonstrate new technologies, commercialize innovations, educate the workforce, and engage the public. SyracuseCoE results revitalize New York’s Creative Core and will improve human health and ecosystem sustainability around the world for generations to come."

Learn more at syracusecoe.org.

From Whitney Soenksen:

"I'd like to nominate Shawn Rubin, an AmeriCorps Alum who in 2000 helped to launch the Highlander Charter School in Providence, Rhode Island.  Highlander is a K-8 charter school whose mission is to empower students to value and fight for social justice through service. Then in 2003, Shawn took the skills he learned at Highlander on the road and spent the next two years of his life volunteering as a teacher in six different countries around the world.  Seeing what citizen leaders were able to do with minimal resources and maximum ambition ignited Shawn's vision to connect men and women with volunteer experiences that would supply the fuel to get compelling international grassroots organizations off the ground. Shawn returned to Highlander in 2005 and created Longitude, a non-profit organization whose simple yet powerful mission is to empower visionary leaders of grassroots educational and human rights initiatives in developing countries by providing them with resources, skilled volunteers, and support services. To Shawn, service is not an activity, but rather a worldview with which he inspires others."

Learn more at golongitude.org.

From Cathy Lazaroff:

"I’d like to nominate Lois Gibbs, the original grassroots organizer for environmental justice and founder of Center for Health, Environment, & Justice."

Learn more at chej.org.

From Liz Beeson:

"The Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health is a residential "place like home" for sick children and their families. Children come from across the country and around the world to stay together with their families in The Inn’s healing environment while receiving groundbreaking medical treatments at the NIH, the world’s leading biomedical research center. While the NIH takes care of the child’s medical needs, The Inn tends to the child’s heart, soul and spirit. The warmth and camaraderie of The Inn stand in sharp contrast to the isolation of a hotel room. In the lively atmosphere of The Inn, the kids and their families can put aside the challenges they face.  The Inn gives kids a place to be kids for a while, instead of patients. At the end of the treatment day, they leave behind the IV drips, the needles, the nurses and doctors to return to The Inn and, most importantly, to the comforting presence of their families and caring staff and volunteers."

Learn more at childrensinn.org.

From Samuel Harrington:

"I would like to nominate Ecovative Design, a start up company developing an amazing all-natural replacement for Styrofoam and other synthetic materials."

Learn more at ecovativedesign.com.

From Rashmi Gupta:

"Blank Noise is a public and participatory arts project that seeks to explore street dynamics and recognize 'eve teasing' as street sexual harassment or violence. Blank Noise is working both online and on the streets of Bangalore, Bombay , Delhi, Kolkata, Lucknow,Chennai, Lucknow, and Hyderabad. Blank Noise begun in August 2003 with a small group of 9 participants. Conceived as a personal reaction to street sexual harassment, the project has grown through workshops and local volunteers to a five-city, hundred-plus volunteer project that seeks to address street sexual violence through dialogue made possible as a result of sustained public interventions."

Learn more at the Blank Noise blog.

From Alexander Nitz:

"I am writing to recommend the ‘House of Solidarity’ as one of the Good100. In 2002 a group of socially and ecologically committed people formed an association and named the project “House of Solidarity ‘Luis Lintner’.” Luis Lintner was a missionary from South Tyrol (Italy) killed 2002 in Brasil, where he was working in a Favela for the poorest of the poor. The House of Solidarity offers eco-social organizations and people in difficult situations a shelter: unemployed, homeless, refugees, migrants, prisoners, old people, young people with difficulties, sick people. It tries to practice solidarity, to promote integration, to experiment with sustainability, to fight poverty effectively and efficiently, to strive a peaceful coexistence between different cultures, religions, generations, genders. The project finances itself with room-rentals, activities and donations. The owner provides the house for free."

From Julie Ray:

"I am excited to nominate Monica Surfaro Spigelman, a colleague and friend for the GOOD 100. After semi-retiring to Tucson several years ago from Brooklyn, Monica dived head first into contributing to her new city using her expertise in marketing and communications. Together with her husband Leigh, she rented a gallery space in downtown Tucson - greatly in need of new energy and development - and produced a one-month photo exhibit called "Rooted in Place." Not content to just promote her husband and some friends' work, she visited downtown organizations and businesses and included them in the exibition materials. Issues she is involved in include sustainability, local food, arts education, and economic development.  She is a true model of an active citizen, one who is passionate about her city and community and not afraid to speak her mind."

Visit Monica Spigelman's blog.

From Elisa Sabatini:

"I would like to nominate David Clemmons for his tireless effort at blending the industry of tourism with volunteerism (service). He created VolunTourism.org as a place to learn about this phenomena. The rich material on the site illustrates pathways for multiple sectors and stakeholders to become involved. The site draws people from 100+ countries seeking opportunities to be of service during their travel experiences. It includes research from the perspective of the traveler and from the communities served. It represents all corners of the globe and is a clear expression of GOOD happening in the world."

Learn more at voluntourism.org.

From Claire Abisalih:

“I'd like to nominate WYSE, Women and Youth Supporting Each Other. The official mission of WYSE, an after-school program that connects university women to 8th grade girls, is ‘to provide girls with the information, resources and support necessary to make informed decisions about relationships, sexuality and their futures and to create community change.’ But it isn't just the 8th graders who benefit; I got to know an incredible group of women at USC, and learned so much about myself and what I value in my life. WYSE is a growing program, and while it is small and has its share of hurdles (funding is always challenging), I truly think it is one of the most valuable, beneficial, and enlightening programs available for those involved on both sides of the equation—both the mentored and the mentors. Thank you for considering this program.”

Learn more at the WYSE USC website.

From Katherine Otway:

“I’m writing to nominate the founder of the company I work for because he’d be too humble to do so himself. Dave Tabaczynski is a true visionary—he is on a mission to fix peoples’ insides with probiotic products (mostly beverages for now) that help get our bodies back to steady state. Lots of the research behind the products that he has designed is extremely innovative and cutting edge in terms of the all-natural ingredients used and the way they are delivered and combined for maximum health benefit. Not only is Dave driven to create healthy and effective products, but he is also committed to funding research and education in digestive health with the company’s profits.”

Learn more at drinkphd.com.

From Anthony Reuter:

“I'd like to nominate the staff and volunteers of Project Legos, a youth organization based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Project Legos is working to create agents of change in communities across Minnesota and I've seen them work with young people to think critically about racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and all the other ‘isms’ that affect us and give them the tools to combat injustice.

This organization was started by college students and has worked itself into a force seen throughout the Twin Cities working in community centers, after school programs, in schools, camps, and every place young people are. The ambition in the staff and volunteers is infectious and is spawning new projects despite how hard funds are to come by. They are moving beyond young people and realizing that people in all walks of life are hungry to become agents of change in their communities.”

Learn more at projectlegos.org.

From Bryan Ingram:

“I'd like to nominate Music 4 the Kids. M4tK was founded to help children discover themselves and to give them the tools necessary to relate to the world around them in a more intelligent and empathetic way. These goals are realized by providing an innovative program of musical and creative instruction to kids who would otherwise not have access to it. The program has been implemented through contracts with school districts, through church groups and other community organizations, and has served kids with chronic illnesses and those living in some of the most underprivileged neighborhoods in NY and LA. The purpose of the organization is to give kids a window into their own creative hearts and to share the music with the world.”

From Evan McLaughlin:

“Founded by Rosanne Haggerty in 1990, Common Ground is a pioneer in the development of supportive housing and other research-based practices that end homelessness. Common Ground has created more than 2,000 units of permanent and transitional housing in New York City, Connecticut, and upstate New York. Common Ground’s network of well designed, affordable apartments—linked to the services people need to maintain their housing, restore their health, and regain their economic independence—has enabled more than 4,000 individuals to overcome homelessness.

Common Ground’s housing costs approximately $40 per night to operate—significantly less than public expenditures: $54 for a city shelter bed, $74 for a state prison cell, $164 for a city jail cell, $467 for a psychiatric bed, $1,185 for a hospital bed.

Common Ground’s ground-breaking Street to Home program reduced street homelessness by 87 percent in the 20-block Times Square neighborhood, and by 43 percent in the surrounding 230 blocks of West Midtown. Spearheading a citywide strategy, Common Ground is now responsible for securing homes for people living on the streets in all of Brooklyn, Queens, and midtown Manhattan.”

Learn more at commonground.org

From Heather Welch-Smith:

“I’d like to recommend Dean Cycon [the founder of Dean’s Beans coffee] as one of the GOOD 100. He has been working with coffee farmers directly for the last 16 years, improving the quality of life of these farmers and making sound ecological choices for his company. Dean feels that it is part of his business obligation to take responsibility for the conditions he finds the farming communities in, and address the centuries of unfair trade practices, underdevelopment, colonization, and environmental stress. To do this, Dean meets with all of the farming partners and develop a plan to address their highest developmental priority. He then co-designs the program, thereby empowering the people to make and participate in their own development. The projects are funded from Dean’s Beans own cash flow, not from grants from governments, churches or even our own customers. We pay for it as part of the true price of coffee. The farmers manage the projects themselves, not through outside charities or foreign aid programs. As a result the projects are truly long lasting and internally  sustainable. Each project is unique and reflects the true needs and capabilities of the communities who co-design them. Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Company models how a for-profit company can do business in a radically different way and help create social change.”

Learn more at deansbeans.com

From Tina Schilawski:

“I would like to nominate the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance for the Good 100. This Minnesota-based nonprofit organization helps low-income families heat their homes by manufacturing and installing solar powered heating systems. The systems can save up to 30 percent of the family's winter heating load, which reduces or eliminates the need for public energy assistance and helps families makes ends meet.

Through their Outreach and Education program they have reached thousands of people in an effort to spread awareness of renewable energy options. The organization also works with at-risk youth, providing them with hands-on green job training and service learning experience.

They have been strong advocates for the integration of renewable energy options into state programs. In fact, the State of Minnesota has won an award for using their solar heating systems in its Weatherization and Energy Assistance programs. RREAL is taking an out-of-the-box idea and creating systemic change.”

Watch video about RREAL's work on YouTube.

From Gerry Dudley:

“It is my privilege to nominate Margaret A. Noel, MD, for the GOOD 100. Dr. Noel founded MemoryCare to serve families struggling with caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease in western North Carolina in 2000. Leaving her traditional physician’s role and donating her entire salary for three years to establish this non-profit charity, she continues to direct the program and care for persons with dementia while donating 40 percent of her time. She has overseen its growth to serve over 700 families a year and educates our region on caregiving issues through multiple special projects.

Dr. Noel has fought to secure MemoryCare as a model that upholds the dignity of persons with dementia who are often neglected in our fractured health care system and encourages their families to be strong advocates for their loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.”

Learn more at memorycare.org

From Nancy French:

“John and Jean Kingston live a comfortable life with their four children in Winchester, Massachusetts. He’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Affiliated Managers Group, Inc., a Boston-based asset management company, and she oversees a truly startling range of domestic responsibilities, while also writing adolescent fiction.

The reason I’m nominating them is because they are struggling valiantly to raise children who are aware of their startling fortune and have created an organization that tries to help other moms and dad parent more... deliberately. Our country is wealthy beyond anything history has seen—even in a recession—so they created www.SixSeeds.org to help parents raise kids with gratitude instead of the all-too-common entitlement that seems to come along with every Playstation 3 game or Happy Meal. It’s just too easy to forget how good we have it here, especially if parents don’t make a special effort to give their kids a sense of perspective.

In a day when “family values” has become a call to battle, rather than a invitation to serve, I hope their concept of family based service can present a sort of respite from the culture wars—allowing the left and right, the secular and the religious to meet on common ground and actually labor together towards a shared good.”

Learn more at sixseeds.org

From Matt Chapman:

“I would very much like to nominate my boss Duncan Goose. Duncan formed Global Ethics Limited, whose primary remit is to raise funds for projects in developing countries, and the first brand to be launched was One water. The concept of One was born when Duncan was in the pub with friends. They started to discuss water related issues and the group was shocked to hear that one billion people in the world have no access to clean drinking water and two million people die each year from diseases related to unsafe water.

In 2005, One was launched based on the simple premise of like for like or ‘water for water’, when UK consumers drink One water, Africa drinks too. One was made the official water for both Live8 and Make Poverty History and since then has secured a number of national distributors including Waitrose, Tesco, Morrison’s and TOTAL. One water has revolutionised the water market (making the big multinationals players stand up and applied pressure for them to respond with their own ethical initiatives) and is changing the way in which people consider buying water in the same way that Fairtrade has changed buyer behaviour in different FMCG categories.”

Learn more at onedifference.org

From the Project MuszEd volunteer staff:

“We would like to nominate Charyn Harris and the nonprofit organization Project MuszEd for doing GOOD! When Charyn started teaching music in the inner city of Los Angeles, she would tell us about some of her students who were being approached by gangs to be recruited, and a few who had at one time planned to take their own lives. Charyn started working with these kids and they are all doing well, alive, and are extremely proficient.  Their lives have turned around simply by putting an instrument in their hands and giving them a positive outlet that keeps them focused and in a safe place.”

Learn more at projectmuszed.org

From Chip and Ashley Donahue:

“Last December, my wife and I read Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods.  We felt so inspired by the book, that we started a free monthly family nature club for families in Roanoke, Virginia, called Kids In the Valley, Adventuring! Mr. Louv set up a fantastic program called the Children and Nature Network.  This network connects government, nature programs and families around the United States with the idea of getting more families outside together.  The Children and Nature Network gives people a chance to share grassroots efforts, thus creating a strong organization with a common goal.

For his wisdom and foresight, we would like to recommend Richard Louv for the GOOD Magazine Top 100 People.”

Learn more at childrenandnature.org

From David Lepeska:

"I'd like to nominate Bunker Roy, a Bengali who founded the Social Work and Research Centre to build on the skills of India's rural poor. Now, 37 years later, that place has become a mini-empire led by the Barefoot College, and it's helped improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of villagers across India and beyond, with simple solutions like rainwater collection and solar engineering—all in an effort to 'demystify, decentralize and empower.'"

Read David's article about the Social Work and Research Centre here.

From Thomas Smith:

"A woman who epitomizes the extraordinary spirit of this list is Beverly Easterling, a special education teacher at the John F. Kennedy Middle School in Atlanta.  The school had struggled for many years and been labeled a "failing school" by No Child Left Behind standards.  When Beverly moved to Atlanta, she chose to live in Vine City, one of Atlanta's roughest and most crime-ridden neighborhoods -- and where Kennedy is located.  She was looking for a way her students could be exposed to higher standards and experiences to improve their behavior, academics, responsibility and self-esteem in the classroom.

Outward Bound Transitions Club - a year-long in-school program for 8th graders that helps transition them to high school -  was the vehicle she identified to help turn the tide.  The change in attitudes and hope was contagious; not just within the school building, but also in the homes and streets of the kids. The OB club operated like a family, taking great pains to encourage and help their team members get back on track when necessary. Through innovative leadership in and out of the classroom, Beverly is having the kind of impact on children in urban America that deserves recognition on the GOOD 100 list."

Learn more at obatlanta.org.

From Joyce Kieffer:

"I'd like to nominate Solar Cookers International. These cookers, many of which are made of cardboard and tinfoil, have cooked foor and boiled water for hundreds of thousands of people in war-ravaged countries around the world.  People in refuge camps in Chad, Darfur, and Sudan are using solar cookers to prepare food rather than using wood to cook over fires.

Without these cookers, women and children must go outside the camps to gather firewood. Women and children, especially girls, are particularly under to attack and rape when they are out getting wood.  Having solar cookers gives the women more time to do other things -- look after their children, visit friends, tend to household chores and especially take care of themselves. The project has health benefits, too: the cookers allow women to boil water which kills off water-borne disease causing microbes."

Learn more at solarcookers.org.

From Joel Schwiesow:

"Liberia is emerging from a prolonged civil war. No system of public education exists within the country and parents do not have the financial resources to send their children to private schools.

Bridges of Hope has done big things in rural Liberia to bring education, shelter and clean water to children.  In less than three years with limited resources, a 12 room school house and 10 orphan homes were completed at a cost of less than $10 per square foot. In addition, the surrounding land is being farmed to help make Hope Village self-sustaining. As of October 2008, over 400 students grade K-11 are attending classes in the newly completed school."

Learn more at bridgesofhopewestafrica.com

From Victoria Booth:

"I would like to nominate a YouTube video collaboration channel, youtube.com/mightmenftm

This is a channel run by transgendered men in all stages of transition.  They are open and honest, often talking about very personal matters for the benefit of others.  They are helping other transsexuals feel less alone, stay connected with one another, learn from one another, and educate the general public.  I am not trans and found their channel in one of those YouTube ways (a channel leading to a channel leading to a channel) and I'm so glad I did.  I watch their videos because these guys seem to be some of the most sincere people out there. The more we understand each other the more we respect each other and the more we progress in this world. These men are real pioneers, taking matters into their own hands, adding to the resources for transgendered people."

From Bonnie Mariano:

"Kevin Bailey is one cool 27 year old who is doing GOOD! He has started a not-for-profit foundation to raise funds to bring clean water to impoverished countries through desalinating ocean water with solar energy.  He has spoken passionately about his charity at Dave Matthews Band concerts, colleges, other concert venues, and through a fund raising luncheon in his home town. Goodness just flows from this exceptionally GOOD person.

The link below will describe the efforts of this young man.  He is working towards a goal of $40,000 to begin his first project and is on his way to seeing this dream to fruition."

Learn more at theskyisnotlimited.org.

From Michel Tucker:

"Recently I was introduced to a “new form of giving” by Gift Card Giver founded by Jeff and Andre Shinabarger of Atlanta, GA. The idea, vision, and project Jeff and Andre have developed, along with their passion to seek and help those in need deserve a lauded nomination to the GOOD 100.

The married couple along with friends Heather and Jason Locy came up with the idea behind Gift Card Giver while attending the wedding of a friend several years back. Gift Card Giver is the collection and redistribution of 100% of like gift cards to a group in need. For example, just before last Christmas, a single mother with five children had her house broken into and lost her Christmas tree, gifts, children’s clothes and shoes, plus many other valuables in the home. Gift Card Giver used $500 in gift cards to buy each child 2 gifts, a pair of shoes, clothes, plus gave the family a $200 gift card for groceries.

The project is supported by a leadership board, generous donors, energetic volunteers, and new idea generators who have teamed up to help urban schools, families in need, and other non-profit groups. Their hope is to attract a decentralized organization of advocates across the nation with as much passion for the vision of redistributing an untapped multi-billion dollar resource...gift cards."
Learn more at giftcardgiver.com

From Chip and Ashley Donahue:

"My wife and I would be honored to nominate Mr. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods for the GOOD 100. Mr. Louv's work with the Children and Nature Network is currently changing childhoods, reminding parents of the importance of spending time together in nature. His words are reminding communities, churches, civic groups and individuals that they have the power to lead families outside together. Nature will have future stewards because of the forward thinking of this man."

Learn more at kidsadventuring.org

From Tim Belonax:

"I'd like to nominate Pam Dorr of HERO in Greensboro, Alabama.

A native of the Bay Area, Pam spent the first 18 years of her career in product development and management for companies like Esprit, Victoria’s Secret Catalog and BabyGap. Seeking a more meaningful contribution, she escaped to rural Alabama in 2003 to join the Auburn University Rural Studio as an Outreach Fellow. Her architectural fellowship soon led to a job with the Rural Studio and the creation of the Housing Resource Center at HERO.

HERO supports sustainable housing development and positive change for over 400 families a year in impoverished Hale County. In addition to working with HERO, Pam founded Habitat for Humanity Hale County in 2006. Community development capital and equity for both organizations now totals over $8.5 million. In her spare time, she volunteers for the West Alabama Youth Services and Girls’ Group Home, sharing horticultural therapy with at-risk youth."

See video of Pam at work with HERO on YouTube.

From Samantha Novick:

"I would like to nominate Dan Marchand to be a part of the Good 100. He is a little known hero. Marchand, along with partners Debbie Gibson and Russ Johnson are known as the 'Crocodile Hunters of Arizona.' I know what you are thinking: Arizona is a desert, there can't be any crocodiles there. However, unfortunately, as a result of the illegal pet trade, Marchand and his team have rescued hundreds of crocodiles, alligators, caimans, snakes, lizards and other reptiles from private homes across the state.

Most of the time these animals have been mistreated, improperly cared for and could pose a threat to humans. Other times, they have been scooped out of the wild or displaced because of construction. Because many of these reptiles are sick, or are not native to Arizona, they can't be released and many would have been euthanized. So Marchand turned his home into a wildlife sanctuary where they are cared for until they can be placed in a zoo or reserve. Currently Marchand shares his home with more than 400 unwanted reptiles.

In addition to his rescue and rehabilitation work, Marchand and his team at the Phoenix Herpetological Society operate a number of school visits and educational programs to teach kids about reptiles and conservation."

Learn more at the Phoenix Herpetological Society.

From Samir Goswami:

"Many adjectives can be used to describe Rachel Durchslag: Selfless, spunky, intelligent, witty and gentle. At heart, however, Rachel is a biker chick who likes to sip whiskey.

A few years ago, Rachel was so moved by a movie that she saw on international sex-trafficking that she decided to dedicate her life to fight the sexual exploitation of women and girls. Since then Rachel has not only opened her own non-profit dedicated to that cause, she has assisted, trained and inspired countless others to join the fight. At any given moment you may find her anywhere: interviewing men who buy sex in Chicago, India or Scotland, presenting at workshops and panel presentations throughout the country, working with survivors of the sex trade to improve lives for others less fortunate, and inspiring and leading her interns and others in the fight against sexual exploitation (but also taking them to spa retreats and ‘floating’ for some much needed self-care)."

Learn more at caase.org

From Christopher Kennedy:

“I and everyone at the lil eco-organization that could, Solar One, would like to enthusiastically nominate Christopher Neidl for the GOOD 100.

Mr. Neidl began the I Heart PV campaign merely a year ago, with a very simple goal in mind: make solar energy a practical reality for NYC residents. And he is doing it every day with tenacity and most importantly with a creative approach that is working! Pulling together diverse community groups, partnering (gasp!) and collaborating (gasp!) with non-profits, institutions and government agencies left and right, he is building a constituency of people to autonomously lobby for change in New York State and NYC, providing realistic ways for people to motivate positive policy and ecological change in their communities.

In many ways, the I Heart PV campaign represents a shift in thinking about the environmental movement and how to motivate change in how whole systems function, inclusive of aesthetic and particaptory frameworks. Working with High School students just this past summer, he led them in building three solar mobile charge stations that he and the students brought to various community events around the city to launch the I Heart PV campaign. The response was overwhelming. Instead of policy being a stagnant element in person's lives, Mr. Neidl was bringing policy to the people using art, design and participation as his means of engagement.

Now as the campaign progresses with successes like the passage of expanded net metering and the NYC Solar Property Tax Abatement he is set to launch the Empire State Solar Initiative which is advocating for 2000 MW of solar by 2020. To do this Mr. Neidl, with the help of many talented partners, is organizing Solar Soirree's, a sort of anti-green drinks, in which community members come together at a bar or venue and can write letters, learn about the campaign or just socialize in an accessible and hip format that is much more effective than a table, petition and clipboard.

I nominate Chris Neidl because he is making change happen in the world—and he is doing it in a re-imagined way that will provide a dynamic model for others to follow in the future.”

Learn more about Christopher Neidl's work at I Heart PV.

From Kristina Pickholtz:

“My nomination is for Johnathan Lozier, a student at East Central University for the Good 100.

After working at the Clinton Global Initiative event in NYC this past fall, a chance encounter on his flight home would prove to change his life. While enroute back to Okalahoma, Johnathan happened to be sitting next to a woman named Rachel Zelon, Director of International Affairs for Feed the Children. Zelon, who had also attended the CGI event with her husband, struck up conversation with Johnathan about the events of the past week and Feed the Children.

At the luggage claim, Johnathan asked Zelon, ‘If I raise money and donate it, how would I know where it is going?’ Her response was simply, ‘Come to Africa and find out!’ Since that small conversation, Johnathan has been on a mission to make a difference. It costs only $50 to feed a child for an entire school year. Johnathan's goal was to raise enough money to feed 100 of these children before his trip to Africa. He has currently raised enough money to feed 180 children and hopes to actually have enough money raised to feed 300 children by the time of the trip.”

Read about Jonathan's work in this article from Oklahoma's Ada Evening News.

From Marisol Euceda:

"I would like to nominate international health education and humanitarian organization Project HOPE(Health Opportunities for People Everywhere).

For the past 50 years Project HOPE has been committed to achieving long-term sustainable advances in health care. The organization’s work includes educating health professionals and community health workers, providing medicine and supplies, strengthening health facilities, fighting diseases (such as TB, HIV/AIDS and diabetes) and publishing Health Affairs, a bi-monthly, peer-reviewed journal that the Washington Post called the 'bible of health policy.'

Project HOPE has delivered health education and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries, distributed nearly $2 billion in medicines, medical supplies and equipment, and trained more than 2 million health care workers."

Learn more at ProjectHOPE.org

From MJ Oresik:

"Nancy Caspersen is my nominee for the GOOD 100. She is a fireball in her pursuit of helping tobacco users quit tobacco. Her life and livelihood are wrapped up in teaching thousands of smokers and chewers every year how to be “smarter than a cigarette.” Her eight-hour program explains how the tobacco industry has made a pretty smart cigarette; one that some say is more addictive than heroin or cocaine. She is compassionate (being an ex-smoker makes her understand how tough it is to quit), she’s funny and is very invested in helping people to quit. And when they do quit, they are forever grateful that Nancy has given them a chance for a healthier and prolonged life. Even court-ordered teens (with those big attitudes only teens can have) caught smoking have gone up to Nancy after class to grovel and thank her. Now that’s an impressive testimony!"

Learn more at quitandlive.net

From Charles Lightwalker:

"I would like to nominate Samuel Baker for the GOOD 100. Samuel is an incredible person who has a very compassionate heart and has created an organization called Time For Veterans, which is assisting veterans with health care needs."

Learn more at timefoveterans.org

From Alison Risso:

"I was just reading your Jan/Feb issue and noticed the Good Project call for nominees.  I’d love to add [the founder of the playground nonprofit KaBOOM!] Darell Hammond's name to the list."

Learn more at kaboom.org

From Danielle Loosbrock:

"I'd like to nominate Geoffrey Canada and the Harlem Children's Zone for the GOOD 100.

Called 'one of the most ambitious social-service experiments of our time,' by The New York Times, the Harlem Children's Zone Project is a unique, holistic approach to rebuilding a community so that its children can stay on track through college and go on to the job market. The goal is to create a 'tipping point' in the neighborhood so that children are surrounded by an enriching environment of college-oriented peers and supportive adults, a counterweight to 'the street' and a toxic popular culture that glorifies misogyny and anti-social behavior.

The HCZ pipeline begins with The Baby College, a series of workshops for parents of children ages 0-3. The pipeline goes on to include best-practice programs for children of every age through college. The network  includes in-school, after-school, social-service, health and community-building programs."

Read about CEO Geoffrey Canada in GOOD; watch video of CEO Geoffrey Canada talking about the HCZ; watch Barack Obama praise the HCZ; and listen to the HCZ story on This American Life.

From Erica Wagner:

"I wanted to nominate the non-profit All Our Kin. My sister and her business partner inspire me with their tireless dedication to low-income families.  The two Ivy League graduates—one trained as an educator, one as a lawyer—opted-out of white collar career trajectories to create a program where families could move out of poverty and into the workforce. ...

Now, nearly a decade later, their grassroots non-profit, All Our Kin, has expanded its vision – to provide all children, regardless of socio-economic background, with all the advantages that our privileged society is capable of providing."

Learn more at allourkin.org

From Emily Davis:

"For the GOOD 100 I'd like to nominate Dave Eggers, Ninive Calegari and Vanessa Roth for their work on The Teacher Salary Project.

Sure, we all know Eggers and Calegari from their founding of 826 Valencia and 826 National.  This time, the two have joined forces with filmmaker Vanessa Roth in order to shed light on the educational crisis in America.  The project is based on the New York Times bestselling book Teachers Have It Easy by Eggers, Calegari and journalist/teacher Daniel Moulthrop.

The Teacher Salary Project is a soon-to-be feature-length documentary film, interactive online resource and national outreach campaign, all of which aim at changing the financial rewards that accompany the invaluable work of teaching.  The idea behind the project is simple: raising teachers' salaries will allow schools to attract and retain the best possible teaching force, paving the way for the best possible education of our children."

Learn more at theteachersalaryproject.org

From Michael Smith:

"I write this to you today to nominate [Australian Minister of the Environment and former lead singer of the rock band Midnight Oil] the Honorable Peter Garrett to have a spot on your GOOD 100. ... We all have our livelihoods, our careers if you will. Peter had that, too. He gave it up, though, so he could tackle his greatest passion—the environment.

A few years back, during Midnight Oil’s final tour and during the time we learned of a new world we live in, I attended my first and last Midnight Oil concert at the House of Blues, in Orlando, Florida. Most people who look back at that type of an experience would get teary-eyed or saddened by the fact that one of their favorite rock bands was leaving the music scene. I didn’t, though. It seemed to make me a little more alert of the world around me. ... Listening to their music is great, but the fact that Peter Garrett followed-up his musical career with one of professional activism—that enlightened me even more."

Visit Peter Garrett's homepage, read his first speech to the Australian Parliament, and watch the video for Midnight Oil's "Beds Are Burning."

From Wendelin Wagner:

"I have been so inspired by the vision and action of Sally Carless, who created Global Village School, that I recently jumped on board to help further their cause. I donate more than half of my working hours to this amazing, non-profit school of the future. Please accept the nomination of Sally Carless and Global Village School for the 100 Best.

Founded in 1999 by Sally, Global Village School represents a radically new model of education that combines alternative educational methods and philosophies with the goals and values of progressive social movements. GVS aims to effect change at both the personal and global levels by educating individual students about the problems and possibilities facing the planet. They also are committed to supporting the course of education that each individual family and student wishes to pursue. The distance learning model enables students around the world to participate."

Learn more at globalvillageschool.org

From Danielle Loosbrock:

"I'd like to nominate NPR and, specifically, Ira Glass and the This American Life team.

NPR and programs like This American Life are bringing the community closer to everyone across the nation. The news coverage is fair and balanced, and drive to the heart of the matter. The issues are important and real. And, they unfailingly bring it back to the people. Coverage of the economy isn't just about numbers, theory, capitalism, and business ... they weave in the stories of how my community and your community, and the people who live there, are being affected. They take the mundane and boring and make it tangible. I've never understood why we, the American people, choose to sell off our public airwaves to multimedia companies that put out such trivial, mindless fodder over those waves, yet organizations like NPR produces quality material for the masses has to struggle every quarter through their "listener fund drives" just to pay the bills. It's nonsensical.

With regard to This American Life, Ira Glass is a personal hero. The stories are often inspirational, uplifting, rough, real, and filled with emotion. They remind me of what it is to be human in the world today. ... There are so many amazing things about TAL, but I think I love most that the stories they share come from so many different people with different lifestyles and different beliefs and different ways of thinking yet the stories can be felt by everyone. The stories help us realize that we are really one people here in America and across the world. We share similar struggles and issues, and experience similar triumphs. The stories bring us together, rather than divide."

Visit NPR online at NPR.org

From Alex Rubalcava:

"I'd like to nominate Dr. James and Trisha London, founders of South Central Scholars (SCS). SCS provides college scholarships to 75 students annually from South Central Los Angeles. Awards are good for every year of a student's undergraduate education and continue on to graduate school if a student attends. But the money is a very small part of SCS. Jim and Trisha realized early on that mentorship from professionals and access to internships and job networks were a critical missing resource for students from South Central Los Angeles. So they built programs within SCS to focus on mentor relationships and internship opportunities, with partners like leading professional service firms (e.g. Deloitte, Liner Yankelevitz) to Fortune 500 companies (e.g. Merrill Lynch, Northrop Grumman)."

See video interviews with South Central Scholars

From Julia Fisher:

"Cindy Kerr is making the lives of kids in hospitals better and more cheerful with ConKERR Cancer. They make pillowcases so that kids have something happy, bright, familiar, and very different from the scary, white hospitals. She started this after her son died of cancer. Top 100!"

Learn more at conkerrcancer.org