Choosing kindness, hope and gratitude over hate and fear

This isn’t the newsletter that was scheduled to arrive in your inboxes on Monday morning. Like everyone, I was shocked and appalled by what happened at Bondi Beach. My heart and thoughts go out to the victims, their families and Jewish communities across Australia. There is no place for hate or fear in our society. When hate and fear win, we all lose.

Greatest Good has always been about living your values and doing good when you can, where you can, and how you choose. It’s hard not to feel helpless and overwhelmed at this time, so if you want to take action but aren’t sure where to start, take a values refresh at VIA (Values in Action). It’s the world’s largest scientifically verified strengths assessment and free for the 3 page summary report. You can go back and retake it at any time to get the guidance on the values you can draw on to flourish and thrive. I’m choosing kindness, hope, and gratitude to see the good and the possible, as Australians come together and wrap their arms around the Jewish community. Together, we have people power to make the changes we want to see in the world.

This is a bumper issue of positive news about those doing good. With so many of your joining Greatest Good to make the world a better place, I am sharing my gratitude and heartfelt thanks to the people and organisations who through their day to day values and actions choose to do good, in various ways:

• Firstly, a huge thanks to our amazing for-purpose organisational members who amaze me by continuing to do their greatest good each day
• Thanks also to the people and organisations who made donations, purchased member products and Greatest Good gift cards (especially the organisations leading with their values who bought gift cards for their staff and clients)
• Thank you for reading our newsletter, attending our events, finding grants in our database, finding paid or volunteer jobs, discovering our 100+ free resources, sharing or commenting on our socials, or supporting Greatest Good (and me) in so many ways
• A special thanks to the Greatest Good advisory board, who support me and attempt to keep me focussed and sane
• So, a huge thanks to all of you for your leadership – leading with your values to do good, which energises me and keeps me passionate about doing my greatest good each day

In support of our for-purpose members, if you are still to looking to buy festive gifts, you can buy online as usual, but delivery will not occur before Christmas due to Australia Post deadlines.

Of course, you can buy a Greatest Good digital gift card at any time (Christmas and other themes available), with immediate online delivery to your gift card recipient. They get to choose their own gifts aligned with their values, knowing our gift cards don’t expire, and every purchase supports an Australian social enterprise, B Corp, Charity or NFP. If you have received a gift card, note that some hampers are out of stock but will be restocked and available in the next week or so.

You can also make tax-deductible donations to ACNC registered charities in your name or on behalf of others, which we pass on fully to the underlying charity (unlike other organisations, we don’t deduct commissions from your donations).

I wish you all a safe and happy festive season with your families and communities. Please keep living your values, checking in and showing up for each other, and lifting up those who need our support.

Jenni Harding - Founder/Managing Director, Greatest Good