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The Mission

Waves represent a remarkable force in the universe — transferring a great amount of energy from one place to another. It is through waves where the sun’s energy travels 91 million miles to power life as we know it. It’s through waves that we can see, hear, and communicate.

For waves to exist, there must be a trigger and a medium for which the wave can travel, like water or air. We believe that waves of goodness are no different. They start with a simple act of goodness, a pebble thrown into a pond, that triggers a ripple of goodness.

Similar to sound or electromagnetic waves, these ripples can be amplified, or made larger and more forceful through resonance. Or they can be dampened, potentially stopping the wave all together.

Each that spread from person to person. Every single person has the ability to cast pebbles to create ripples of goodness

We believe that waves of goodness use people as the medium. It starts as a ripple — the result of a tiny pebble of goodness. A single act of goodness by a single person.

This is the core of Let Goodness Shine — to create new ripples of goodness and amplify those set in motion by Joel. We exist today because of how Joel lived his life, day in and day out. It is through the hundreds of people Joel impacted and this foundation that Joel’s light will continue to shine.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Matthew 5:14-16

Our Mission

Through this foundation, we will strive each day to fulfill our mission:

Mission Statement: The Let Goodness Shine mission is to serve, support, and encourage both the less fortunate and the youth in our communities. In doing so, we amplify the ripples of goodness cast by Joel into waves that shape future generations.

In short, we will seek to partner with the frontline organizations that help our communities in the following ways:

Finding Purpose

Helping youth find purpose and meaning

Giving Opportunity

Giving teens an opportunity to thrive

Easing Pain

Easing other’s pain and suffering

Providing Support

Providing support during difficult times

Fresh Start

Helping others make a fresh start

Providing Hope

Providing hope to those at rock bottom

Let Goodness Shine is a Platform for Good

Let Goodness Shine is not just a foundation to raise money, but a platform that is made up of four key pillars that work towards meeting our mission: Frontline Financial Support, Service Support, Promoting Good, and Innovation for Good.

Frontline Financial Support

Through donor contributions, Let Goodness Shine will provide financial support to organizations that are on the frontline helping those less fortunate and advancing our next generation. We will do this through the grants to select nonprofits that align with our mission and prove to be good stewards of their donor’s support. More details on our tax exempt status here.

Service Support

We use the word “partnering” because our support is not limited to financial, it extends to service. Encouraging others to serve and enabling them by demonstrating simple ways we all can help. We welcome others to contribute in any way that promotes our mission. Whether they contribute financially or do something good. In the months after Joel’s passing, we saw the power of this when my dear friends and collages organized a What Would Joel Do worldwide day of service to honor Joel. We’d like to do something like this again.

Innovation for Good

We firmly believe that innovation through technology has been transformative for industries across the board. Revolutionizing everything from taxi cabs to fast-food. One sector that seems to have yet been transformed is that of the nonprofits. We believe new innovations will allow donors to easily see where their donations are best spent and what impact they have had. In turn, we expect this to increase donations across the board. There is a place in the nonprofit sector for AI and technical advancements and we will leverage our previous experience to develop something.

Promoting Good

There are several messages we will promote, first and foremost, we will relentlessly promote the idea that today, all of our actions make a difference. One way or another. Our smallest of acts of goodness matter — no matter how insignificant they may seem. Further, we will continue to promote optimism that everyone has goodness to contribute. And that is our acts of goodness, not the perfection of our argument, that matters most.

The Billion Dollar Vision

We believe that the core of our foundation is firmly rooted based upon need. Today, now more than ever, we need to recognize and promote goodness within each of us. And encourage goodness within others. As a sector, nonprofits have an opportunity innovate and do better. We are at a crossroads where need and opportunity intersect for this sector. It is time to make great advancements for the greater good.

It is because of this that we see no reason why Let Goodness Shine cannot obtain unicorn status as a $1 Billion endowment. Getting there will not be easy, and in my experience building startups, getting off the ground will probably be the hardest part. And it won’t happen without enormous help from so many others. For every person that donates money, serves, reads our content, shares our message, or encourages us, you are an investor — in our mission and the next generation. And to our investors, we commit that we will go to the ends of the earth to honor your investment as a steward.

Stay tuned… You can subscribe to our blog and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @letgoodnessshine.com.

This is only the beginning…