This piece originally appeared on KBCI’s blog, but we’re preserving it on site. Read the original here.
Meeting the moment with kindness.
How Elizabeth Workman and Goods For Good are connecting neighbors to meet real needs, one small act at a time.
“We can’t solve everything. But we can fold the clothes, cook the meals, deliver the toys – and in doing these small things, make the world a little better.”
When Elizabeth Workman talks about Goods For Good, her voice carries the kind of steady optimism and clarity that comes from doing, without hesitation. What started as a small family yard sale has grown into a community-wide effort that has provided over 35,000 meals, countless essentials, and immeasurable comfort to people across Washington, DC.
But this is not the story of a grand plan. It’s the story of listening, adapting, and saying “yes” to whatever is needed next. That same instinct has guided Elizabeth throughout her career in the nonprofit and social service sectors – when you see a need, meet it.
From yard sale to community connections
It all began with a family project: a 50-cent yard sale in 2008 where Elizabeth’s children chose local nonprofits to receive the proceeds. Friends and neighbors loved the idea and began dropping off their own items to sell. When the Workman house had filled to bursting, the family organized a full-scale rummage sale.
That single event raised more than $5,000 and sparked a question from Elizabeth’s daughter: “What if we had more space and more time, could we raise more money?” It seemed likely that the answer was yes, and so they tried it.
Twice, Elizabeth tracked down large spaces near her home, worked with the owners to utilize them for free or reduced rent, rallied volunteers, and held massive community sales – raising an astonishing $32,000 for two local nonprofits. Elizabeth was prepared to continue this effort, but in 2020 the pandemic made these gatherings impossible.
Following the need
The organizations Elizabeth and her children had supported through the rummage sales were suddenly facing new challenges. Shelters where children once played together in shared spaces now needed individual games and toys for separate rooms. Food programs designed to provide dinner were now responsible for feeding families three meals a day.
So, Elizabeth jumped in to help fill the gaps: collecting board games and puzzles, then cooking extra meals to drop off where food was short. Soon, friends and neighbors joined in, and Goods For Good evolved from occasional fundraisers into a dynamic network of community care with Elizabeth serving as an all-purpose intermediary.
Soon Elizabeth’s home was once again overflowing with donated goods, and she realized it was time to find the project its own space. She reached out to the Director of the Episcopal Center for Children (ECC), whose large building in the heart of the neighborhood had caught Elizabeth’s eye. After several conversations, ECC committed its support to this community effort, and generously offered to provide a large space at greatly reduced rent. Since then, Goods For Good has filled the space with donations, volunteers, and a constant positive energy.
Goods For Good now works with over 50 local nonprofit partners – connecting volunteers and donations to the ever-changing needs of neighbors across Washington, DC. “We never start a project based on what we think people need,” Elizabeth explains. “We listen. We let our partners and communities guide our work.”
Their annual soup drive has become a beloved neighborhood tradition, with volunteers preparing hundreds of servings of homemade soups, stews, and chilis each winter (nearly 4,000 to date!). Refrigerators at the many homes serving as Goods For Good donation drop-off sites are often filled to the brim with labeled containers ready to be delivered. “It’s not just about the food,” Elizabeth says. “It’s something warm, nutritious, made with love. It’s a message that says: we see you; we care.”
Another volunteer favorite is the ongoing “birthday in a box” effort, through which volunteers create birthday kits for children living in shelters. These beautiful packages are filled with birthday treats, gifts, decorations, and goody bags for siblings. Elizabeth works directly with partner shelters to learn about each child and their family to help create the truly special birthday celebration every child deserves.
While the organization got its start with in-kind and financial donations from friends and neighbors, word quickly spread about the impactful work they were doing. Goods For Good now receives funding from one foundation grant, a number of small family foundations, and many, many generous individual donors. They continue working to grow and diversify their funding sources, and they spread the word through a monthly newsletter, social media, and their website.
The power of small acts
When asked what has been most meaningful for her in this work, Elizabeth doesn’t talk about grants or numbers at all. She tells the story of Kesha, a young refugee from Afghanistan who arrived in DC with her mother and six siblings after fleeing unimaginable violence.
At a Goods For Good clothing and toy pop-up, Kesha and her family found more than material comfort – they found potential. The younger children played with musical toys and Kesha gathered new clothes – clothes that would enable her to finally return to school. For perhaps the first time since they fled their home in the dark of night, the family could envision a hopeful future for themselves.
Elizabeth had to step around the corner to collect herself. “Seeing it through their eyes and realizing how something so simple could restore joy, it was overwhelming,” she says. Moments like this are what keep her going. She acknowledges that Goods For Good can’t solve the big issues out there facing the world, but she knows that every single life they touch is changed for the better.
Why it works
When Elizabeth is asked why Goods For Good has thrived, she doesn’t hesitate: “Our volunteers are amazing.”
Every new project draws a wave of people eager to help. They cook, fold, sort, package, drive, and deliver – and in doing so, remind each other that goodness still exists. “On the hardest days,” Elizabeth says, “they walk through the door with their positive energy and make my heart soar.” The Goods For Good space is often filled with busy volunteers turning the chaotic piles of donated items into neatly organized shelves of clean toys, bundles of toiletries, and beautifully folded and packaged bags of clothes ready for delivery.
Elizabeth believes in keeping things simple. “Don’t look too far ahead,” she advises. “Just take one challenge at a time. If you try to tackle everything at once, you’ll freeze. But if you keep showing up, the next step will reveal itself.”
Elizabeth’s advice
Elizabeth’s message to anyone seeking inspiration right now is to “Shake off the bad news and volunteer somewhere. You’ll feel the energy of others trying to make a difference – and you’ll remember that you can too.”
This holiday season you can help provide families with the essential tools they need to cook, gather, and celebrate together by donating a new set of new pots and pans (example set here). Learn more about Goods For Good at goodsforgooddc.org.