Focus Topic: Purpose & Meaning

The Gambrell Foundation is deeply invested in supporting our young people and our communities. Our partnership with the American Institute for Boys and Men supports shifting policy and public conversation that will ultimately enhance the wellbeing of boys and men, and therefore enhance the resilience of all our communities.

This research brief from our grantee, American Institute for Boys & Men explores the characteristics and trends of young people who are classified as disconnected youth or NEET—not in education, employment, or training.

Research from our grantee, American Institute for Boys & Men: "Male representation in HEAL professions, at 22%, is a little lower than female representation in STEM, at 24%. But while the share of STEM jobs held by women is rising rapidly, the share of men in HEAL is declining. This means missed job opportunities for men as well as a damaging lack of men in some vitally important roles.

I’ve spent my entire adult life working on issues of economic disparity. Guided by a passion for social justice coupled with an affinity for law, I began my career as a Legal Aid lawyer representing very low-income families on issues spanning from racial discrimination and housing evictions to the right to education and health care. […]

Geared to youth ages 15-21, #HalfTheStory's Digital Civics Academy application is open until May 15th.

Purpose. A word that sparks reaction and emotion, opinions and theories, and hope as well as dread. Lately, I’ve been having a lot of conversations about purpose with high school students, college students, mentors, executive directors of youth programs, staff of youth programs, researchers, funders, parents, my grandmother, and so many more. Purpose has been […]

A new report by Tommi Laitio recommends a path to ensuring that every child in Charlotte has something in their life that makes their eyes light up: a hobby. Last August, my husband and I had to empty the attic of our Helsinki apartment. We discovered a dozen broken suitcases, a box of old notebooks, a coffee […]

Join Sally, in her Q&A with Tommi Laitio of Convivencia Urbana, a Partner of Gambrell.

Why Our Relationship with Technology Needs a Revolution Ten years ago, when I started this journey, we were worried about Instagram filters warping our sense of self. Now? We’re grappling with deepfakes that can clone our voices and replicate our entire beings. The dopamine hits we once got from notifications? They’re nothing compared to the […]

In January, I visited the Designmuseum Denmark in Copenhagen and stumbled upon an exhibit called “Bottled Ponderings.” It’s an old-style cabinet filled with over 300 tiny “medicine” vials, each labeled with something that affects our well-being—everything from passion and relationships to narcissism and loneliness. This quirky display reminded me that tackling well-being involves looking at […]