The Sylvia & David Goodman Legacy Fund

In 1966, Robert and Carolyn Goodman established The Andrew Goodman Foundation to carry on the spirit and purpose of their son, Andrew, whom the Ku Klux Klan had murdered alongside James Earl Chaney and Michael Schwerner during 1964’s Freedom Summer.

Robert and Carolyn instilled the importance of equality and justice in their sons and continued that legacy through the foundation. After Robert’s death in 1969, Carolyn spent the remainder of her life fighting for social justice causes, including civil and voting rights, women’s rights, and children’s rights.

When Carolyn passed away in 2007, David – Andrew’s younger brother – and Sylvia Goodman led the organization into the future. In 2012, they transformed the private foundation into a public charity. In 2014, under Sylvia’s leadership on the 50th anniversary of Freedom Summer, they created and launched the Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere program.

Through Vote Everywhere, AGF partners with America’s colleges, universities, and young people on and beyond campus to provide resources, visibility, and mentorship to a national network of student leaders who involve their peers in participatory democracy through long-term voter engagement and public policy initiatives.

Today, after nearly a decade, the program operates on 66 campuses in 25 states and Washington, D.C. Fifteen of those campuses are Historically Black Colleges and Universities within the Andrew Goodman HBCU Cohort. Together, Andrew Goodman Ambassadors across the nation have hosted 7,123 events, registered 125,605 voters, and reached 1,588,883 students.

Additionally, Sylvia and David created the Andrew Goodman National Civic Leadership Training Summit — a multi-day intensive civic leadership training for the Andrew Goodman Network — and the Andrew Goodman Puffin Democracy Fellowship — a program for graduates to undertake high-impact projects on local and regional levels to advance political and social equity among young people in the United States.

This cumulative impact is thanks to Sylvia and David’s leadership, at various times as part of The Andrew Goodman Foundation’s Board of Directors and staff. Without their dedication, ingenuity, and hard work, The Andrew Goodman Foundation would not be where it is today, living Andrew’s legacy and activating the next generation to carry the torch forward.

In Hebrew, each letter has a numerical value. The number 10 is the letter “Yud,” and the number 8 is the letter “Het.” “Het-Yud” spells the word “Chai” (חי), usually pronounced like the English word “hi.” “Chai” (חי) is a word and symbol meaning “life.” In fact, a common Jewish toast “L’Chaim!,” or “To Life!,” is often said at celebrations in anticipation of the good things to come.

Securing $1.8M would ensure AGF’s operations and sustainability at least through the end of 2024, including our significant 10th and 60th anniversaries.

$250,000 New Founders Circle
Invests in operational capacity building to expand our work

$100,000 Leaders Circle
Funds programs for future and post-graduate voters

$50,000 Champions Circle
Underwrites advocacy initiatives to increase voting access

$25,000 Partners Circle
Sponsors one campus in the Andrew Goodman HBCU Cohort

$10,000 Allies Circle
Finances digital tools to send text messages to young voters

$5,000 Supporters Circle
Supports creating an Andrew Goodman Alumni Wall of Fame

$1,000 Friends Circle
Provides one Andrew Goodman Campus an activity budget

Up to $999 Grassroots Circle
Pays for Andrew Goodman Ambassadors’ stipends

Members of the Grassroots and Friends Circles will be recognized in AGF’s Annual Report. In addition to the prior benefit, members of the Supporters, Allies, and Partners Circles will be featured on The Sylvia & David Goodman Legacy Fund webpage. Champions and Leaders Circle members will additionally receive personal updates from AGF’s Executive Director, Rashawn Davis. AGF’s full team will further brief members of the New Founders Circle. AGF will also issue a press release as a special acknowledgment of their generous contributions.