Meet the trio behind the Real Change Project

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-Chief

Published March 27, 2024

Josh Shulman, his brother Greg, and childhood buddy Bill Evans were growing frustrated. After years of talking about the high cost of living, inflation and other financial hardships, they decided it was time to take action to make a real change.

“We all know good people with good jobs who are still in a position where they don’t know if they can afford this month’s rent. These are hardworking people struggling to make ends meet,” said Josh, 35, office manager at an optometry business and a member of Congregation United Hebrew. “I can’t fix the economy or the real estate market but what I do know is the difference between having a couple of hundred dollars in the bank and a couple of thousand, and that difference is big.”

Bill Evans, Josh Shulman and Greg Shulman created the Real Change Project, giving out surprise gifts of $2,000

So, the three friends thought, why not make a big difference, or at least a measurable one? Their plan: to surprise hard-working St. Louisans — folks who are employed but are barely eking by — with $2,000 in cash to help make their life easier. As Shulman points out, “Nearly 60% of Americans are unable to cover a $1,000 emergency expense, with upwards of two-thirds living paycheck to paycheck.”

Last summer, the trio contacted a lawyer and filed the necessary paperwork to start their own tax-exempt nonprofit to “put cash donations into working people’s hands.” They got IRS approval in November and launched the Real Change Project soon after at realchangeproject.com.

Greg Shulman surprises Schnucks baker Robin Pentecost with the cash gift.

“One of the stipulations of our nonprofit is that donations go to people who are currently employed,” said Josh, adding that the public can donate through their website. “Our goal now is to become a monetized social media platform. We have a YouTube channel, and we want to get a ton of followers. We want to get big enough on YouTube to attract advertisers, so we won’t need to ask for donations.”

Since December, the friends have surprised a half dozen people at their jobs with $2,000 in cash, including Robin Pentecost, who works in the bakery department at Schnucks in St. Peters.

“I was overwhelmed to say the very least. It was a total surprise,” said Pentecost, 57, and the mother of three. “At first, they said they were interviewing me about the best doughnut or something and I kind of believed them. Then they said they wanted to give me something, but we’re not supposed to take anything from customers.”

When she looked into the envelope Greg Shulman handed her, she was left speechless. There it was — a wad of bills totaling $2,000. She says she still has trouble finding the right words to express her gratitude.

“It came at the perfect time and really helped a lot,” she said. “I needed my car worked on. I was able to catch up on my bills. I’m not getting anything back on my taxes, so the money is especially helpful.”

Josh said they found Robin, and the other workers they’ve rewarded, through word of mouth. They hope to add a feature to their website whereby the public can nominate worthy recipients.

In the meantime, he asks that people subscribe to their YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@RealChangeProject so they can build a digital video audience to attract advertisers to support the project.

“I truly love what we’re doing,” said Josh. “I don’t know if there’s anything better than elevating an individual and knowing that you’re helping them. The videos are short, heartwarming and completely transparent. We are showing you where the money is going.”

About the Contributor

Ellen Futterman, Editor-in-Chief

A native of Westbury, New York, Ellen Futterman broke into the world of big city journalism as a general assignment reporter for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner in the latter part of the 20th century. Deciding that Tinsel Town was not exciting enough for her, she moved on to that hub of glamour and sophistication, Belleville, Ill., where she became a feature writer, columnist and food editor for the Belleville News-Democrat. A year later the St. Louis Post-Dispatch scooped her up, neither guessing at the full range of her talents, nor the extent of her shoe collection. She went on to work at the Post-Dispatch for 25 years, during which time she covered hard news, education, features, investigative projects, profiles, sports, entertainment, fashion, interiors, business, travel and movies. She won numerous major local and national awards for her reporting on "Women Who Kill" and on a four-part series about teen-age pregnancy, 'Children Having Children.'" Among her many jobs at the newspaper, Ellen was a columnist for three years, Arts and Entertainment Editor, Critic-at-large and Daily Features (Everyday) Editor. She invented two sections from scratch, one of which recently morphed from Get Out, begun in 1995, to GO. In January of 2009, Ellen joined the St. Louis Jewish Light as its editor, where she is responsible for overseeing editorial operations, including managing both staff members and freelancers. Under her tutelage, the Light has won 16 Rockower Awards — considered the Jewish Pulitzer’s — including two personally for Excellence in Commentary for her weekly News & Schmooze column. She also is the communications content editor for the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis. Ellen and her husband, Jeff Burkett, a middle school principal, live in Olivette and have three children. Ellen can be reached at 314-743-3669 or at [email protected].