Discover what’s going right across New England
Receive regular stories of progress, innovation, and problem solving across the region.
What you’ll get
New England Good News
A roundup of progress across housing, energy, sustainability, infrastructure, economics, science, and innovation throughout all six New England states.1
Granite Goodness Podcast
Good news reports + conversations with optimistic New England leaders, builders, and innovators. We embed podcast episodes into our bi-weekly newsletter.
Want Good News Mailed to Your Home?
Join our OPTIMISTS CLUB and help our good news support local news. Proceeds from paid subscriptions are donated to support local news organizations.
Why We Do This
Too often, the media shows us only what’s going wrong.
Granite Goodness is focused on what’s going right.
Our belief is simple: optimism isn’t naive, it's pragmatic.
When solutions go unnoticed, we lose sight of what’s possible and how to do better. Granite Goodness exists to change that.
This is not fluffy good news about cats being rescued from trees by firemen. We only feature stories that are substantive and optimistic. Granite and good!
You’ll Be in Good Company
Granite Goodness readers are building the future of New England.
Our audience is made up of TEDx speakers, regenerative farmers, electric vehicle innovators, café owners, technologists, members of Congress, governors, local leaders and many more.
“Supporting Granite Goodness is a small and intentional way for me to encourage positive thinking in my community! Andy and Kaelli get it — optimism doesn’t mean turning a blind eye when things are bad. It means knowing good things are worth fighting for.”
- Sam, Manchester, NH
“I like Granite Goodness because we have to show people what’s possible so they can be inspired to help solve problems! Hope is a contagious phenomenon.”
-Alex, East Greenwich, RI
“I subscribed because I believe there’s so much worth celebrating that gets buried under an endless tide of bad news and outrage. To me, optimism is a conscious choice, and this felt like the perfect community to make that choice alongside.”
- Talia, West Springfield, MA
Why “Granite Goodness”?
It’s who we are and where we’re from.
Granite Goodness is proudly based in New Hampshire, known as “The Granite State” for its abundance of the rock. Our logo honors the Old Man of the Mountain, a naturally formed cliffside profile in northern NH that became a regional icon.
Granite runs through New England’s mountains, towns, and history. It is a symbol of strength, durability, and Yankee pride.
Granite Goodness is a tribute to this spirit. Not feel-good fluff, but real stories of progress that are substantive and optimistic. Granite, and good.
OUR TEAM
Andy DeMeo, Founder
Hi! I’m Andy, the creator of Granite Goodness. I grew up in Londonderry, NH and have spent my life exploring every corner of New England.
Granite Goodness is my love letter to New England and the people solving its hardest problems.
Ten years working in climate policy, carbon accounting, sustainable finance, and food systems taught me one thing: our biggest problem is not a lack of solutions, but stories.
When problems are framed as endless and unsolvable, cynicism is seen as rational and smart. A pessimistic worldview leaves people less likely to invest in long term thinking and collaboration.
By contrast, optimism produces its own social contagion, creating flywheels of community, purpose, and positive outcomes. Research shows optimists tend to live longer, healthier, happier lives. I suspect they have more fun too.
Inspired by the work of globally focused solutions journalists at Fix The News and The Progress Network, I started Granite Goodness to bring optimistic, solutions-focused storytelling to a more local scale in New England— my beloved corner of the world.
My work has attracted regional recognition, including:
Stay Work Play New Hampshire’s Young Person of the Year Award (2025)
University of New Hampshire’s Alumni Sustainability Award (2025)
Co-hosting TEDx Portsmouth 2025, the largest TEDx event in New England
When I’m not talking to optimistic New Englanders, I can be found doing homesteading projects with my twelve chickens, two dogs, and one wife on our farm in New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington Valley.
Kaelli Gehrung, Assistant Producer
Kaelli is a lifelong New Hampshire native and UNH grad with a background in public service and nonprofit leadership. Despite her seemingly niche studies, her professional journey has uniquely blended health, hospitality, manufacturing, and media. She is always ready for a challenge, and has built a "jill-of-all-trades" career in just a few years. She manages social media content for Granite Goodness, and is probably capable of bench-pressing you.
Connect
Come to one of our events or meetups!
Join our Optimists Club!
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you get podcasts
To share good news tips, guest ideas, or inquire about podcast appearances, speaking engagements, collaboration, partnerships, sponsorships or just say hi, reach out to hello@granitegoodness.com
Thanks for checking us out!
-Andy & Kaelli
Only interested in your state? We also publish regular digital state-specific newsletters, curated from our flagship regional newsletter. By default, subscribers receive only the New England-wide newsletter. You can opt in or out of any of our newsletters here.
