The Daily Good Mission Statement
THE DAILY GOOD aims to make a difference in the Keene, New Hampshire, region by focusing on Diversity and Inclusion, Food Security, Health and Well-being, and Literacy. Several of our initiatives support all 4 of these pillars and are determined by asking community members this question: “What would make your daily life better?” Through their impassioned answers, we form initiatives that close community gaps and support individuals overlooked or underserved by larger nonprofits. As an all-volunteer nonprofit with no bureaucracy, our initiatives are implemented quickly with immediate impact.
THE DAILY GOOD’S Food Pantries are at all Keene colleges:
Keene State College, Antioch University of New England, and River Valley Community College
We have big success creating positive change with a small budget.
THE DAILY GOOD is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are 100% tax-deductible.
Even though they don’t know us personally, they are doing something for us that is personal, so I feel more welcomed, more appreciated, more wanted.
Keene State College student
THE DAILY GOOD got me through college. I am forever grateful and will never forget THE DAILY GOOD.
Keene State College Alum
THE DAILY GOOD has enhanced the quality of life in the community in meaningful and measurable ways.
Melinda Treadwell, President, Keene State College
The Daily Good has been an amazing boost for our students, both international and domestic. We were amazed when the non-perishables disappeared from the shelves within 24 hours. The Daily Good is a fantastic resource for Antioch, and we are so grateful.
Laura Andrews, Director of Institutional Advancement, Antioch University
THE DAILY GOOD has a small fund to support community members experiencing unexpected, emergency medical expenses--from dental to ambulance care.
Phenomenal! THE DAILY GOOD really helped me a lot with my teeth, especially being a college student.
emergency dental care recipient, THE DAILY GOOD Medical Emergency Fund
In partnership with the City of Keene, THE DAILY GOOD provides 60 to 100 summer campers, including children in need, with a healthy snack, read-alouds, and a new book to take home and instill in children and families a love of reading.
THE DAILY GOOD’s Feed & Read Aloud program brings a fun and educational opportunity to our summer camp at no cost to participants. By providing a healthy snack, a read aloud, and a book to bring home, the program reminds campers the importance of healthy snacks and also reminds campers the joy and fun of reading during out of school time.
Brianne Rafford-Varley,
Recreation Manager, City of Keene Parks and Recreation
In partnership with Nova Arts and in support of Keene Housing Kids Collaborative, THE DAILY GOOD is nurturing children's creativity and art literacy through the WakaDoodles after-school arts program at Brewbakers Café. We provide access to free kids' snacks that young creators can enjoy during the art programs, including children in need.
The after-school program at WakaDoodles has become a huge success thanks to the contribution made by THE DAILY GOOD. The kids enrolled in the program are now able to focus and recharge themselves, knowing that a delicious snack awaits them during their art class. THE DAILY GOOD has made it possible for these kids to have access to healthy and nutritious snacks.
Priya Allaire, Wakadoodles founder
The Daily Good Founders
We both have professional backgrounds in children’s publishing as authors and editors. Before that we were journalists--Sandra became the first woman to host an NHL broadcast on national television, and Rich became the senior editor of the most popular children’s magazine in the world — Highlights For Children. Now we write true stories for young readers about people who break barriers and change the world.
Personally, we never thought we’d become changemakers ourselves by starting a nonprofit. But after seeing so much positive, community change happen from our community organizing and partnerships to support immigrants and refugees, several community leaders asked us if we’d start one to empower more community members. And that’s how THE DAILY GOOD began in 2019.
We didn’t know exactly what our initiatives would be at that moment, but we knew who to ask: community members themselves, including students who utilize the Office of Student Diversity, Belonging, and Equity at Keene State College, across the street from where we live. We also knew who to ask to join THE DAILY GOOD advisory board. These community changemakers keep us focused and help implement THE DAILY GOOD initiatives quickly. We are so grateful for their leadership.
Since breaking a gender barrier in sports as the first woman to anchor an NHL broadcast on national TV, Sandra has been writing stories about people who break barriers and change the world. She is the author of the Orbis Pictus Award-winning book Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery, illustrated by Bryan Collier, which also earned 4 starred reviews and 8 state award nominations. Her young adult nonfiction title, Blood Brother, won The International Literacy Association’s Social Justice Award and was a YALSA Award Nominee for Excellence in Nonfiction. The daughter of a Yugoslavian refugee, Sandra lives in New Hampshire where she continues to break barriers and create change as a social entrepreneur, co-founding The Daily Good and The Koenig Siddall First Generation Scholarship at Keene State College.
Rich has an extensive background as an editor and is an award-winning novelist and nonfiction writer. His more than 60 books include several co-authored with Sandra Neil Wallace: The Teachers March: How Selma’s Teachers Changed History; First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great; and Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and his Sacrifice for Civil Rights. His first novel, Wrestling Sturbridge, was selected by the American Library Association as one of the top 100 young-adult books of the twentieth century. Rich served for many years as a senior editor at Highlights for Children magazine. He serves as an advisor for the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Keene State College and is the co-founder of The Daily Good and The Koenig Siddall First Generation Scholarship at Keene State College.
As founder of The Keene India Association and a founding member of The Keene International Festival, community leader Ritu Budakoti ensures that the region's growing cultural voices are heard and honored. Ritu is the recipient of the 2020 Exceptional Teacher Award and a 2023 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year Finalist. Being an active member of many local civic groups such as Keene's Human Rights Committee, she works to bring the world into her classroom and teaching. Ritu inspires hundreds of students every day to break barriers and discover their greatness as a Keene, NH, middle school science educator.
Dr. John Sturtz empowers pre-service teachers as a professor of Education and Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Keene State College. John is devoted to teaching and bringing Transitional Justice to the classroom and the global community as guest speaker at Oxford University, The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and as a Fulbright Scholar.
As a Keene State College economics graduate and an outstanding student athlete (achieving the highest shooting percentage in the history of the men's basketball program), James's leadership as student advisor helped propel THE DAILY GOOD to its prominent role in creating change on campus. He is now assistant coach for KSC men's basketball and a full member of THE DAILY GOOD advisory team.
Whether working with National Geographic scientists or the City of Keene, Dr. Gakunde is passionate about empowering community through conservation and through service, both in Keene, NH and in Rwanda, his homeland. A doctoral graduate of Environmental Studies at Antioch University New England, Yves has served as president of the Elm City Keene Rotary Club and has helped guide the City of Keene's Human Rights Committee. He is the Purchasing and Contract Services Manager for the City of Keene.
The pandemic increased our need to support students. At Keene State College, for example, dozens of students remained on campus in the first several months and through the summer of 2021. We were asked to provide more frequent food pantry deliveries to their dorms, so we pivoted and stretched our food roster. We have continued to stock our Global Foods Pantry on a weekly basis since April of 2020. Now more than ever, your donation will help ensure that we can continue to provide these weekly deliveries.
There are multiple ways to donate to The Daily Good
Follow the link below to donate online. You will be brought to a secure Paypal checkout.
Checks are gratefully received and may be sent to:
THE DAILY GOODFor any donation inquiries, please feel free to contact us!
THE DAILY GOOD is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are 100% tax-deductible.