We take promising, well-researched ideas from theory to reality in our communities.
What is A Great Life?
The Gambrell Foundation believes that we must all have the courage to try new things. We support and create communities that are a meaningful source of what people need to live a life filled with purpose and meaning.
So many of us dream of a world where every person has the freedom to build the life they desire — a life where we aren’t just surviving each day with only enough to get by, but where each of us can truly live a great life. However, far too many of us feel like something is missing in our lives or that we don’t have much to look forward to.
Our work thrives on the core principle that we all must have the courage to try new things if we want to transform our lives and the lives of our neighbors in our communities. In trying new, promising and well-researched ideas, we also must embrace failures as gifts of learning.
We take expeditions to learn directly from communities around the globe that have government policies and cultural practices that support the well-being of those who live there. We explore concepts like how hobbies can transform our lives and foster deeper relationships with our neighbors, or how the physical spaces we live in can shape how we interact with the world around us.
Our approach to cultivating a great life is grounded in cross-pollinating ideas with our grantee partners that support a strong sense of purpose, a daily dose of awe, and a belief that you are better off because of your community, not despite it.
We dare to think we can all live greatly and design communities as springboards, not barriers.
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. […]
Imagine if our cities went beyond meeting our basic needs. What if they made us feel supported, valued and cared for? How would our lives change if streets weren’t just for movement but for moments of spontaneous discovery? What if our city’s public spaces didn’t simply tolerate people using them but were designed to inspire, spark social connection, and strengthen bonds between neighbors?
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 […]
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. […]
Imagine if our cities went beyond meeting our basic needs. What if they made us feel supported, valued and cared for? How would our lives change if streets weren’t just for movement but for moments of spontaneous discovery? What if our city’s public spaces didn’t simply tolerate people using them but were designed to inspire, spark social connection, and strengthen bonds between neighbors?
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 […]
