About: History

Goods for Good was founded in April of 2006 by Melissa Kushner, who was seeking an effective and efficient way of providing assistance to orphans and vulnerable children in Africa.

Here's how Melissa tells the story.

In 2003, while working at the United Nations, I had the opportunity to travel to Malawi for the first time. I always wanted to visit Africa. For as long as I can remember, I have been both intrigued by the continent and troubled by its poverty.

When presented with the opportunity to travel to Africa, I knew that I wanted to do more than just visit; I wanted to make a contribution. One of the stops on our trip would be St. Mary’s Rehabilitation Centre, a remarkable but under-funded orphanage and community center that serves almost 1,000 children in the region. As I learned more about the Centre’s work and needs, I realized that this could be my opportunity to make a contribution.

After speaking with friends that had been to Malawi, it was clear that basic resources such as clothing and educational toys were desperately needed. I had the idea to call some of my friends who worked at The Children’s Place and Toys R Us to see if they had excess merchandise, and they did! Within two weeks, I had dozens of boxes overflowing with almost two tons of clothing and toys.

With the help of friends, I was able to raise the funds to ship the items to the orphanage in Malawi. When I arrived at St. Mary’s Rehabilitation Centre, hundreds of children were dressed in the clothing that I had sent. I learned later that many of the children, orphaned by AIDS, had never had a new set of clothing. I knew then that my work had only just begun. When I returned to New York, I began preparing for the next shipment to St. Mary’s. Three years later and three shipments later, I founded Goods for Good.

A lot has changed since my first trip to Africa and that first shipment, but the fundamental goal is the same. Goods for Good is dedicated to saving resources to save lives. With the help of individuals, corporations and the development community, we will continue to do so for many years.

Thank you for visiting our website and feel free to contact us with any questions.

Melissa Kushner