30,000 US Teens Converge on Detroit in Massive Christian Volunteer Clean-up

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Jul 20, 2015

Houston Astros’ outfielder George Springer knows what it’s like to shy away from conversations.

The 25-year-old athlete grew up with a stutter so severe that he rarely talked to people other than close friends and family. While his stutter has improved over the years, he knows how isolating and frustrating it can be, especially for children.

That’s why, while he is on the disabled list with a broken wrist, Springer is helping kids cope with the speech disorder by hosting events and raising money for Camp SAY, and the Stuttering Association for the Young.

Helping Stutterers Find Their Voice – In the Arts (Video)

“I think it’s important for kids to see anybody not letting anything stop them from being who they want to be and being the person they want to be,” Springer told KTRK-TV.

Camp SAY, a two-week camp in Hendersonville, North Carolina, offers a traditional camping experience with activities to help kids ages 8-18 empower themselves and gain confidence by building effective communication skills.

As for Springer, he says after years of struggling with stuttering, his teammates now tease that they can’t get him to stop talking.

(READ the AP story at KTRK) – Photo: Apardavila – CC

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Preemie Parents Want Gifts for Hospital Staff on Son’s First Birthday

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Jul 20, 2015

For these parents, their son’s first year of life was the best gift in the world.

That’s why the couple is celebrating little Archie McDonnell’s birthday by giving back to the people who helped him survive his first critical months after he was born 10 weeks premature in a New Zealand hospital.

10-yo Cancer Survivor Pays Forward Birthday Gifts to Kids Still in Hospital

In lieu of birthday presents, Anne and Deane McDonnell, asked for money to treat the staff at Auckland Hospital.

“We are wanting to give something back to the nurses and doctors, not the unit itself, but to the staff. We would like to be able to give them some money to allow them to do something nice for themselves,” his mother said on their Givealittle fundraising page.

So far, the family has raised more than $3,000 for the hospital staff—she hopes they will use it for food, treats, or anything else that will make them smile.

(READ more at NZ Herald)

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Teacher Wins Lottery, Buys Shoes For 200 of Her Students

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Jul 20, 2015

The winters in Ballarat, Australia are brutal—but thanks to a winning teacher’s generosity, 2,000 toes will remain nice and toasty in brand new pairs of leather shoes.

Bri Dredge, who won $20,000 on the game show Millionaire Hot Seat, used her winnings to buy her students at Yuille Park Community College in Ballarat new leather shoes, reported the New Zealand Herald.

America’s First Delivery By Drone Drops Medical Supplies On Rural Health Clinic

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Jul 20, 2015

A rural health clinic in Virginia’s mountains has beaten Amazon to the punch with the first government approved delivery by drone in the U.S.

After a piloted plane delivered the drugs to the Lonesome Pine Airport in southwestern Virginia, the drone — built by Australian drone-maker Flirtey — made three trips, ferrying ten pounds of medical supplies to the temporary clinic set up at a nearby fairgrounds. Operators used an onboard camera to watch as they lowered each delivery to a drop-off point.

Driving the drugs from a warehouse to the clinic would have taken 90 minutes. The plane and drone combination cut that time by more than half.

Drones Drop Beneficial Bugs on Crops as a Natural Pest Control

The company tweeted “Close-up of Flirtey delivering in Virginia today!” along with a picture of the drone shortly after it took off.

“Proving that unmanned aircraft can deliver lifesaving medicines is an important step toward a future where unmanned aircraft make routine autonomous deliveries of your everyday purchases,” Flirtey CEO Matt Sweeny said.

The FAA approved the flight and worked with NASA to monitor the operation. It served as a demonstration for potentially delivering supplies on a short deadline as well as a model for how eventual commercial deliveries could be carried out.

(WATCH the video of the flight and READ more at the Guardian) — Photo: Flirty, Twitter

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These Five Kids Will Restore Your Faith in the Future, If Nothing Else Can

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Jul 20, 2015

2015 has been an amazing year for kids who have taught us a lot about generosity, kindness, and selflessness. These five young people have definitely shown us how it’s done…take a look:

1. Boy Makes Viral Video to Aid Buddy Who Lost Toys in a Fire

Kollin Cox and Ryan Branson are best friends. When one of them lost everything in a fire, the other one asked his mother to help him make a video and post it on Facebook.

Afterward, St. Louis television stations ran news stories about the friendship that helped raise $11,000 to replace toys, beds and clothes for the young boy and his mother Sonya–proof that a destructive blaze is no match for a pair of elementary school BFFs. . . (WATCH)

2. She Builds Mobile Shelters Because ‘Nobody Should Sleep Outside’

Hailey Fort of Bremerton, Washington, first befriended a homeless man named Edward when he lost his job at their local supermarket. Hailey, who happens to be handy with an electric drill, decided to get to work building him a “mobile sleeping shelter,” and she knows what she’s doing.

“If there was no insulation, he would get cold. If there was no tar paper, he would get a draft,” she told King 5 news. With a little help from her grandfather, who is a contractor by trade, she successfully built Edward a 8×4 wooden shelter. . . (WATCH)

3. Boy Uses Birthday Money to Save Racehorse On Death Row

Most kids spend their birthday money on toys and games, but 9-year-old Brandon Heyman of Ontario, Canada decided to use it to save a life.

Karazan, an aging racehorse, had just been purchased by a meat buyer when his mother came across the 17-year-old chestnut mare on the website Need You Now Equine.

“My son asked what was I doing, and when I explained it to him, he said, ‘Mummy, my birthday’s coming up. Just give my birthday money to them. I don’t want the horse to die.’”. . . (READ)

4. Eighth Grader Raises Thousands to Buy Wheelchair for Younger Classmate

When a neighbor’s expensive wheelchair was stolen, Ryan Czech wanted to help — but how much of a difference can an eighth-grader make? It turns out, he was able to buy her a new chair within a single day.

His 10-year-old neighbor, Jerylyn, has Cerebral Palsy and needs a stroller-style wheelchair to get around. They’re expensive — more than $2,300.

Ryan’s mother helped him set up a GoFundMe page to raise the money–and in just 24 hours, he had the money he needed. . . (WATCH)

5. This Kid Uses His Allowance to Design, Sew Clothes for Homeless

Xavier Elliott is a formerly homeless young man who has taken to his mother’s sewing machine to design special pieces for those who are still struggling.

The ten-year-0ld, who previously spent some time in a homeless shelter with his family, started out by using his own allowance to foot the cost, and has since received a number of monetary and material donations—along with several offers of new sewing machines—after his story was broadcast by local Phoenix television stations.

In addition to clothing, Xavier wants to make tote bags so homeless kids have a place to put their clothing. . . (WATCH)

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Muslim Fundraiser for Burned Black Churches Raises $100,000

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Jul 19, 2015

Muslims came together to raise money to help rebuild the Southern black churches that were burned in arson attacks following the deadly shootings at a historic black church in Charleston.

Their online fundraising campaign reached its goal of $100,000 in donations Saturday, following the last day of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month.

“We want to let our African American brothers and sisters know that we stand in solidarity with them during this dark hour,” wrote Imam Zaid Shakir on the LaunchGood fundraising page.

“These are attacks on Black culture, Black religion and Black lives,” the webpage continues. “As Muslims we know the importance of protecting the vulnerable and respecting people who call on God in their various tongues. We want for others what we want for ourselves: the right to worship without intimidation, the right to safety, and the right to property.”

Norway Muslims Form Human Shield Around Jewish Synagogue

A young Muslim theology student, Faatimah Knight, 23, started the fundraiser–called Respond With Love– initially on July 2 to raise $10,000. However, when the goal was met and surpassed within the first 12 hours, she reset the target to $50,000—and later $100,000–because so many donations were pouring in. The campaign was set up to run through the month of Ramadan, so is now closed, having received donations from more than 2,000 supporters.

Ms. Knight and a network of Muslim organizations, including Muslim ARC, the Arab American Association of New York and Ummah Wide have contacted the pastors and church leaders to make sure that the funds get to the churches that need it most.

Beaming Education From Space to World’s Poorest, Remote Places

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Jul 19, 2015

A company wants to build virtual libraries in places the Internet doesn’t reach by blanketing the earth with data beamed from satellites.

More than four billion people don’t have routine access to the Internet. Remote
villages that don’t have online cable connections frequently do have satellite dishes. A company called Outernet is now providing a device that gives people a way to plug into a satellite dish and download free information that is available to the rest of us on the internet.

This Smartphone Case Charges Batteries Out of Thin Air

“We’ve had free radio, free TV, now there is free data,” Outernet CEO Sayed Karim told Good News Network.

The “Lighthouse” device allows a connection with the world by delivering access to free books and images in a way that avoids expensive infrastructure, data fees and censorship.

People must read the material on their mobile phones, which are becoming more common in remote locations. It will look similar to how a web page displays in a browser. The device costs $99, but the company lets people build their own from a kit or a few electronic parts (pictured left).

Outernet doesn’t provide the full Internet, but streams a data feed to the user that currently includes Wikipedia, Project Gutenberg — a collection of 49,000 books in the public domain — and a library of free e-books.

The company not only gives people access to information, but allows them to store it on the Lighthouse, so they can access it whenever they want. Outernet bills itself as “Humanity’s Public Library” and sees its mission as spreading information and education.

“Imagine what our world and global economy can accomplish when education is truly universal,” Karim said. “If we can can provide a Library of Congress in every village in the world, why should we not?”

He points to the story of William Kamkwamba, a teen innovator in Malawi who gained international fame when he taught himself how to build an electricity-generating windmill by using a couple books at the local library.

New Record for Scottish Wind Farms, Power for Nearly One Million Homes

Karim wonders how many other people like Kamkwamba could improve their communities’ lives if they simply had access to more knowledge.

“Today we are one step closer to living in that world,” Karim said.

Outernet is creating more content for that world – the company is hosting an “edit-a-thon” at Mozilla’s East Africa festival in Uganda this weekend. It will bring together innovators, educators to create and curate more public domain and Creative Commons material to include in this new data stream.

Perhaps foundations will begin distributing these devices, but right now they are sold on the company’s website.

(READ more at BuzzFeed) — Photos: Outernet

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Young Couple Organizes Random Acts Of Kindness In 5 Cities At Once

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McKinley Corbley

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Jul 19, 2015

Remember being told when you were young not to talk to strangers?

Two young adults in love started Kindness Captured: A Day Of Bravery And Kindness to challenge just that.

Greg Grano and Sarah Sellman organized the first Kindness Captured day in 2012 to simultaneously take place in Syracuse, New York City, Richmond, Seattle, and Denver for 10 hours. Each hour, a team of 3-5 people would get together, receive a kindness mission, a city location, and then go out and do kind deeds for strangers using a single kindness kit.

KIND Bars #KindAwesome Campaign Inspires 1 Million Acts Of Kindness

The good deeds ranged from handing out bottles of water, popsicles, and flowers, to paying for people’s coffee, to mailing postcards to random addresses in the phonebook, to leaving lottery tickets under windshield wipers.

“Before we did this event, we had spent the summer approaching strangers and asking them if we could stay at their homes for our film American Bear, so this event was really easy and exciting for us,” Sarah told the Good News Network, “but we knew that it would be psychologically challenging for people who have gotten used to the current societal expectation of limited interactions with strangers.”

American Bear: An Adventure In The Kindness Of Strangers is a documentary featuring the fearless duo setting out from Syracuse, NY to visit 30 states in 60 days, and asking strangers if they can sleep in their houses for the night. The film is filled with joyful interactions Sarah and Greg had while on their journey, showing just how willing Americans are to help total strangers.

Inspired by all of the hospitality and kindness they’d received on their journey, they decided to give back to their community with the Kindness Captured events.

“We wanted to challenge our community… and we did,” says Greg. “But I think the reward is always greater than the challenge. It’s a pretty classic risk/reward system. You take a risk by approaching a stranger, but when they respond positively, the reward response in your brain is huge! We’ve forgotten, culturally, how good it feels to really connect to someone you don’t know. Do a kindness for another person. It feels amazing.”

Greg and Sarah have since had several more Kindness Captured days, over 70 events and screenings of their film, a Facebook campaign called Cards For Strangers, and a cupcake giveaway in Denver.

If you would like to be notified about Kindness events near you, you can sign up for their newsletter at the bottom of the American Bear website.

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Anonymous Donor Gives $34 Million to One of California’s Poorest Cities

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Jul 19, 2015

How does someone give a “transformative” gift to preschoolers and African-American students, low-income renters and ex-prisoners, all at once with the stroke of a pen?

The generosity of a mystery donor will do exactly that in Oakland, California after the city received an anonymous gift of 34 million dollars.

The donation came with a request that it be invested jobs, housing, education and health care and that the money be “in the streets” by the summer.

At least 17 organizations will benefit, including $6 million to the city’s public schools to support early childhood education and African-American student achievement.

United Awards Hackers Millions of Miles for Finding Security Risks

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Jul 19, 2015

United Airlines has awarded millions of frequent flier miles to hackers who have discovered vulnerabilities in the company’s web security.

The carrier paid out two awards this week worth 1 million miles each. Jordan Wiens, a researcher focused on cyber vulnerabilities, was one of the recipients, reports Reuters. Wiens revealed a flaw that could have allowed hackers to seize control of one of the airline’s websites.

In a first for the US airline industry, United publicized its new program in May that would offer “bug bounties” for anyone who could uncover cyber risks.

“We believe that this program will further bolster our security and allow us to continue to provide excellent,” said the company on its website, where they listed rules for bug bounty hunters.

(READ more from Reuters)

Police Help 75 Year-old in Broken Wheelchair Have Happy Birthday

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Jul 18, 2015

All Ms. Carroll wanted for her birthday was a cake from the local Oklahoma City Walmart.

But halfway into her trip, she found herself stalled in the middle of the road. The 75-year-old’s motorized wheelchair gave out on her, ruining the only real plan she had for the day.

Or so she thought.

When officers Travis Verneir and Amy Hanson from the Oklahoma City Police Department arrived on the scene, they took her to Walmart in their patrol car and got her the cake. The good deed was posted on Facebook, and, as a result, Ms. Carroll is getting more than just that cake for her birthday.

CHECK Out These Other Police Officers Being Kind

“Police work comes in a lot of different forms. Sometimes it’s about being a servant and helping people to make a difference,” Verneir told KFOR-TV.

People have been leaving cards and gifts for Ms. Carroll at the station, and one wheelchair company has reached out and offered to fix her wheelchair for free.

(WATCH the video below or READ the full story at KFOR-TV)

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Not Seen for 100 Years “Royal Turtles” Crawl Back from Extinction in Asia

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Jul 18, 2015

14 years ago, conservationists were overjoyed to come across three “royal turtle” nests. The 3–5 females and their mates and offspring were believed to be the only ones left in Cambodia.

For 100 years in that country there had been no recorded sightings of the once-common southern river terrapin, but the species’ population is growing again thanks to wildlife officials, a group of Buddhist monks, and former turtle hunters who are now paid to guard the nests they once raided.

Since that day in 2001, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has been working with Cambodia’s Fisheries Administration in a captive breeding program. The partners have been raising the hatchlings to keep them away from predators while they grow, both in the town of Sre Ambel, and outside the country–in Thailand and Singapore–to guard against a catastrophic event or typhoon that could wipe out all the animals.

Buddhist monks have also played a key role in convincing villagers to leave the turtles alone.

“In Cambodian society, Buddhism is a very important part of the culture, and monks are revered and respected,” said Brian Horne, a representative for the WCS. “So when the local monks join in and say, ‘Don’t go out and harm these turtles,’ generally people listen.”

Baby Tortoises Survive on Galapagos Island for First Time in 100 Years

In July, a group of monks led a traditional ceremony in front of 150 people to bless the 21 turtles (scientific name: Batagur affinis) that had been raised in captivity before releasing them into their native habitat in the Sre Ambel River system.

The terrapins, once called “royal turtles” and declared the property of the king, were designated in 2005 as the national reptile of Cambodia to raise awareness of the conservation effort.

As one of the largest herbivores in the river, the species is crucial to the health of the entire ecosystem. So, in 2001, when the nests were discovered, the WCS and wildlife officials began a community based protection program to ensure their survival. Turtle hunters were enlisted and paid to protect the nests, which grew in number to 39. Hundreds of hatchlings were raised in facilities and, finally, this group of 21 was chosen as the most genetically diverse and first to be released since the program started.

(WATCH the WCS video ) — Photos: Wildlife Conservation Society video

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Hospital Hosts “Wedding” for Tiny Cancer Patient and Her Favorite Nurse (WATCH)

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Jul 18, 2015

A 4-year-old leukemia patient got the pretend wedding of her dreams to her favorite male nurse, thanks to the caring staff at Melodies Center for Childhood Cancers at Albany Medical Center in New York.

Matt Hickling and Abby have always had a great connection since the beginning of her diagnosis, reports the girl’s family on their FB community, Amazing Abby.

“I know the people at the Melodies Center… their creativity and thoughtfulness but never expected all of this.”

Abby’s response to the trail of rose pedals, wedding song, and matching ring pops for their fingers… “This is the best day ever!”

Airline Reroutes Mom to Son’s Bedside, Before She Even Knows He’s in Hospital

“We are both in awe from today’s visit and smiling ear to ear.”

(WATCH the adorable video below) – Photo: Amazing Abby on FB

So today I got to help make a 4 year old leukemia patient's "wedding" to her favorite nurse Matt Hickling happen at the Melodies Center for Childhood Cancers at AMC. Thanks to Scott Wright and the team at the Enchanted Garden for donating your time and amazing flowers and to everyone at AMC that helped pull this together in less than 24 hours. You people are amazing. THIS is why we go into nursing.
Posted by Lori Ciafardoni on Thursday, July 16, 2015

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Racist Protesters in Melbourne Shrink in A Sea of People Supporting Diversity

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Jude Alexander

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Jul 18, 2015

Racist protesters were shown the door in Melbourne, Australia, today.

A rally by an anti-Muslim group called Reclaim Australia attracted 50-60 protesters, however their demonstration was surrounded by 4,000 Melbourne residents who came out to oppose the hate faction.

60 further protesters from hardline racist group the United Patriot Front joined the rally several hours later, but they were booed and jeered away from their protest site by jubilant counter-protesters, who chanted, “You’ll always lose in Melbourne,” and later held a victory march in one of Melbourne’s main streets.

Despite numerous scuffles and pepper spray being used by the police, Melbournites feel the protest went well. “Melbourne is well-known as a thriving multicultural city, and we make millions of dollars a year from international tourism,” said one protester. “There’s no way Melbourne people are putting up with fascism on our streets.”

Photo submitted by Jude Alexander

Father Cries Tears of Joy When Son Surprises Him With New Home

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Jul 17, 2015

This proud papa was caught off-guard when his son handed him a key to the house they’d just toured together.

“You’re giving me a key to your new house?” Charles Green asked his son, Michael.

Michael and his girlfriend, Bridgette, spent four months dragging Charles around to all the homes they were supposed to be looking at for themselves.

At the end of the search, in the final house where they each swooned for the big rooms, Michael handed his dad the keys to a new home.

Teen Invites Her 80-year-old Grandfather to Prom (Video)

“Every kid wants to buy his father a house,” Michael said on the video.

“I don’t deserve this,” Charles said through tears.

“You deserve everything, Pop,” Michael replied.

Green plays “Angry Grandpa” in a YouTube series that Michael directs.

(WATCH the video below)

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Once Homeless She’s Now the Boss of Her Own Construction Business

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Jul 17, 2015

April Malloy first turned to construction when she became homeless and responsible for caring for her infant son.

Now, she owns her own contracting company, Construction 1st Class, closing multi-million dollar deals for Times Square hotels and Manhattan nightclubs and restaurants.

Since November, cameras have been following her around New York City to document her work for a new television show.

CHECK OUT More Inspiring Stories About Women Here

The self-made business owner and mother of seven children uses her own story to inspire other women living in shelters. She takes them – and also female veterans and women in recovery – to her job sites to show them what’s possible.

(READ the full story from the Metro) – Photo by Miles Dixon, Metro

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‘Sea Bunnies’ Making Waves in Japan Are The Cutest Things You’ll See Today

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Jul 17, 2015

Photos of fuzzy sea slugs are popping up all over social media in Japan – a nation known for its love of all things “kawaii” – or “cute.”

Found in the cooler waters of the Pacific Ocean, these small, rabbit-like creatures are actually slugs – marine gastropods whose fluffly “coats” and pointy ears have earned them the nickname “sea bunnies.”

Scientist Wants to Name This Cute Octopus Species “Adorabilis”

This Jorunna parva genus of sub-species can grow to 8 inches in length, and their cute “ears” are actually rhinophores, or scent/taste organs that help them detect chemicals in the water and make their way across the ocean floor.

No word yet on whether they can be lured with sea-lettuce, or if their tails twitch when you pet them.

(WATCH the video below or SEE more photos at Bored Panda) – Photo: YouTube

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DiCaprio Donates $15 Mil to Help Save the Planet and Animals On It

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Jul 17, 2015

A longtime environmental activist, Leonardo DiCaprio has already pledged millions to fund organizations focused on protecting wildlife and preserving natural resources.

The 40-year-old Hollywood actor announced this week that he is donating $15 million – his biggest single grant to date – to support 30 different groups, including Amazon Watch, Save the Elephants and the World Wildlife Fund.

“The destruction of our planet continues at a pace we can no longer afford to ignore,” DiCaprio said on his foundation’s website. “I am proud to support these organizations who are working to solve humankind’s greatest challenge.”

Actor Jared Leto Becomes Global Wildlife Ambassador for WWF

DiCaprio has been a vocal advocate for environmental issues throughout his career – his Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation supports conservation projects in more than 40 countries.

Last year, the United Nations named him a UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on climate change. Speaking at the UN in September, he said, “This disaster has grown beyond the choices that individuals make. This is now about our industries, and governments.”

(WATCH DiCaprio’s UN speech below from The Guardian) – Photo: UN Speech, Guardian

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Cop Goes Undercover in Wheelchair to Make Arrests, Finds Kindness Instead

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