Inside Eastworks
A Legacy of Support and Resilience
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Rosenberg Fund for Children (RFC), an organization dedicated to helping children whose parents have faced harassment, imprisonment, or worse because of their progressive activism.
“Our primary mission is to provide educational and emotional support for the children of targeted activists and activist youth in the United States,” says Executive Director Jenn Meeropol. “What we really try to do is be a resource to individuals who are doing the incredibly important and dangerous work of organizing for a better world.”
Finding a Home at Eastworks
The RFC moved to Eastworks in the early 2000s, trading their Springfield office for a space in Easthampton. Meeropol recalls her father—RFC’s founder—touring the building with Eastworks Managing Partner/CEO Will Bundy.
“He still talks about Will taking him into the basement and showing him hundreds of thousands of jars of pickles from a company that had gone out of business,” she says with a laugh. “They liked the building, the location, and the community. It was a good fit for us—and we’ve never regretted it.”
Earlier this year, the organization relocated to Suite 335, which offers a more central and welcoming layout. A longtime office companion, Phineas the ficus, made the move too. “He’s almost as old as the organization,” Meeropol notes.
Carrying Forward a Family Vision
For Meeropol, who has led the organization since 2013, RFC’s mission is also deeply personal.
Meeropol’s grandparents, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, were victims of the anti-communist McCarthy era, executed for conspiracy to commit espionage in 1953 despite a deeply flawed trial. In their memory, their younger son and Meeropol’s father, Robert Meeropol, founded the RFC.
“My dad, in his memoir, called the RFC his ‘constructive revenge’—his chance to turn the pain and repression he faced as a child into something positive for other kids,” she explains. “For me, it’s an opportunity to say thank you. There was a community that supported my father and uncle when they were children, and that shaped the adults they became. Helping to pass that support along is a wonderful thing.”
Meeting the Moment
The need for RFC’s work has never been greater. “For a lot of the families we serve, repression is intensifying,” says Meeropol. “We want to do everything we can to stand with them and make sure their children feel supported.”
She acknowledges that while the hope is one day such an organization won’t be needed, “unfortunately, that feels further away now than even in recent history.”
Connected Through Community
Beyond the serious nature of its work, RFC values the vibrant environment at Eastworks. “There have been ballet performances, solstice celebrations through the hallways, beautiful art, and really yummy food” says Meeropol. “It’s a really congenial community, and we feel lucky to be a part of it.”
Looking Ahead: Open Studios 2025 and Beyond
RFC will open its doors during Eastworks Open Studios this November 1 & 2. “We’re excited to welcome visitors into our new space,” Meeropol shares. “It’s always such a joyful event, seeing the range of work happening throughout the building.”
Visitors can learn more about RFC’s mission, view artwork, and hear about plans for a 35th anniversary celebration on April 11, 2026.
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