Where It All Began
About The Good Samaritan Project
How a Seinfeld episode, a fictional charity, and a biblical parable became a real Cleveland nonprofit — and the people who show up for this community every day.
Our Story & Inspiration
The Good Samaritan Law
The idea for The Good Samaritan Project was inspired by one of the most iconic finales in television history. In Seinfeld, Season 9, Episodes 23 & 24, "the gang" is arrested for failing to help someone in need during a brief stop in Massachusetts.
In the episode, a newly introduced ordinance — "The Good Samaritan Law" — requires bystanders to assist in such situations. Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer watch a man get mugged, do nothing, and spend the rest of the episode on trial for it. The community testifies against them. Their indifference becomes the verdict.
The GSP founders saw something in that story that most people laughed past. What if there really was a standard — not a legal one, but a community one — that said: when you see someone who needs help, you help? What would that look like in Cleveland?
"Should they be worthy, they will possess the resources of GSP."
Seinfeld — Season 9, Ep. 23 & 24
"The Finale" — In which four people's years of self-centered behavior catches up with them when they fail to help a stranger in need and face the community they ignored.
The Human Fund
"Money for People."
George Costanza's fictional charity — created to avoid holiday gift-giving — became the name and spirit of GSP's real holiday initiative. The Human Fund.
The Biblical Origin
"Good Samaritan" is a label often used to describe someone acting selflessly to benefit others — even a total stranger. The phrase has its origin in a story from the Book of Luke, Chapter 10. A Samaritan traveler happens upon a man who has been robbed and beaten. While others pass by on the road, the Samaritan stops, gives first aid, carries him to an inn, and pays for all of his care.
— Terry Giles, Professor of Theology at Gannon University
The Principle
In both the biblical story and the Seinfeld episode, the lesson is the same: the act of helping a stranger, without expectation of reward or recognition, is one of the most fundamentally human things a person can do. And choosing not to act — because it is inconvenient, because you do not know them, because someone else will probably handle it — is a choice with consequences.
The GSP Response
The Good Samaritan Project was built on the belief that Cleveland — its people, its neighborhoods, its communities — deserves a group of people who will stop. Who will not pass by. Who will give first aid, carry someone to safety, and pay for their care without asking for anything in return. That is GSP. That has always been GSP.
The Meaning
Ideology Behind
"The Good Samaritan"
Long before it was a television trope or a legal term, "Good Samaritan" described something real and radical: a person who helped a stranger at personal cost, without any expectation of return.
That is the standard GSP was built to embody. Not charity for the sake of appearances. Not giving when it is convenient. But showing up — genuinely, practically, repeatedly — for the people in this community who need it.
Founded on
"Being the change we want to see in the world."
The Good Samaritan Project · Cleveland, Ohio · Est. 2022
Since We Started
From a TV Episode to Real Impact
2022
Founded
100+
Blankets Donated to Cleveland APL
6
Active Community Programs
NE Ohio
& Growing
Leadership
Our Team
The board members, volunteers, and staff who turn the idea behind GSP into something Cleveland can actually feel.
Kevin Burkett
Founder, Executive Director & Chairman
I'm Kevin, I founded GSP and can't wait to see how it grows moving forward. I grew up on Cleveland's West Side and now reside downtown where I frequent the Union Club, Cavs/Browns/Tribe games and the occasional beverage on E. 4th. I've been in sales my whole professional career.
Nick Wheeler
Vice Chairman of the Board
Born and raised in West Milton, OH, relocated to West Coast after BGSU. Works in Bay Area Tech Sales, helping government and education clients in Northern California make their towns and schools safer.
Tyler Romie
Board Member
Tyler lives with his wife Jordan with their dog Kobe. They enjoy being outside, searching for balls in the rough, watching the Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Reds. Works in sales for Lipari Foods.
Antonio Hunter
Board Member
Based in Greenville, SC. Started his non-profit career with The Salvation Army where he cultivated his passion for helping others, engaging with community leaders and building relationships with clergy.
Conor Firkins
Board Member
Based in Rochester, NY, 3rd generation of his family business. Core principle: supporting and engaging with the local community. Enjoys golfing, reading, and biking on local trails.
Kunal Kashyap
Intern
Kunal is a recent BBA graduate from Kent State University supporting GSP as a Business Strategy Consultant. With international experience across India, Japan, and the US, he brings a global perspective to GSP's digital transformation.
See It in Action
The Inspiration Became These Programs
Everything GSP does — every blanket, every Thursday meal, every family outing, every act of kindness we spark — flows from the same source. A simple idea that started with a Seinfeld episode and grew into something Cleveland can feel.