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Scholastic Donates 1 Million Books for American Kids in Poverty

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Sep 26, 2013

Clifford dog book

To help more low-income families build home libraries and to encourage families to read together, Scholastic will donate 1 million books to a nonprofit that gives free books to children living in poverty.

The world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books announced the donation, which includes a large quantity of bilingual Spanish/English books, on Monday.

Reach Out and Read will give away the books to low-income families during office visits with their children’s doctors. Scholastic is a long-time supporter of the organization that distributes free books through pediatric professionals and hospital staff who educate the families about the importance of reading aloud.

Flash Mobs Invade Parks with Books

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Sep 26, 2013

reading outside boy-wsh1266-flickr-cc

The term flash mob generally denotes wildly spontaneous gatherings of people in public places to dance, sing or erupt into some sort of display of artistic behavior.

Yet Dawn Livera came up with the idea of using the pop-culture phenomenon to encourage kids to read books.

This summer in parks near Vancouver, a series of summer reading flash mobs was launched that had all the pizzazz of the real thing.

(READ the story in the Vancouver Sun)

Thanks to Craig Withers for submitting the link!

Huge Pink Truck Brings High Fashion to Poor Teens

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Sep 25, 2013

Pink truck Threads for Teens

Allyson Ahlstrom, 18, wanted to scrap the idea of struggling teen girls getting only handed-down clothes from the thrift store. She wanted to boost their self esteem by providing two brand-new head-to-toe outfits for any girl in need, so she started Threads for Teens two years ago in Santa Rosa, California.

This year she takes her clothing store on the road bringing hope and pride to girls in need across the country. Can you believe what this young woman has accomplished?

(WATCH the video below from NBC, or READ a GNN story with links to Allyson’s website)

Shoppers in Oregon Town are Finding $100 Bills inside Random Groceries

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Sep 25, 2013

money found in candy bar

In the past couple weeks, grocery shoppers in an Oregon town have found $100 bills stuffed into everyday food items, like eggs, cookies and candy bars, and inside shopping carts — all for the taking.

Shoppers and employees at the Fred Meyer store in Salem have found a total of $2,000.

Across town at the Wal-Mart, KGW reports that a man named Phil found 2 of the bills, and was especially grateful.

“My girlfriend is in the hospital with renal failure.” Phil said. “I’m driving to OHSU (in Portland) every day. So $20 bucks in gas each way, it’s comes at a very opportune time for me.”

(WATCH the video below, or READ the story from NWCN News)

SHARE the Wealth—Spread the News..

Sarah Outen Becomes First Woman to Row Solo From Japan to Alaska

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Sep 25, 2013

rowing champ Sarah Outen-FB

28-year-old Sarah Outen has become the first woman to row a boat solo from Japan to Alaska, arriving at a small town in the Aleutian Islands after an ordeal that included capsizing five times.

After the five month journey, the British adventurer enjoyed a hot bath, home-cooked meal and a “fabulous welcome” from the people of Adak.

“I have had some of the most intense and memorable months of my life out on the Pacific. It has been brilliant and brutal at the same time,” Outen said in a statement.

(READ the AP story in the Guardian)

Good Karma Can Save Your Life

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Sep 25, 2013

Thailand karma advertisement

A Thailand television commercial tells a moving story about a shopkeeper who gives to others without hope of return.

But his good deed is returned after years and saves the man’s life.

The three-minute film was made by TrueMove H, the cellular company.

The YouTube video, which has been viewed more than 11 million times, describes the company as believing “in the power of giving without expecting a return.”

The video starts with a young boy being caught stealing medicine from a shop across the street before a restaurant owner intervenes.

WATCH the inspiring film below…

Boy Author Raises $400K for Sick Friend

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Sep 24, 2013

Friendship is so chocolate bar

Last year, while in first grade, Dylan Siegel’s best friend was diagnosed with a rare illness called glycogen storage disease type 1B, a rare liver disorder that doesn’t have a cure.

Dylan, six years old at the time, was determined to do something about that. To the surprise of his parents, he wrote a book.

“Chocolate Bar” the book has since exploded, with t-shirt sales and a website helping to raise money. The book costs $20 with all proceeds going toward finding a cure.

“Chocolate Bar” has now raised an incredible $400,000, to the delight of researchers studying the disease.

“He’s raised more money for this disease than all the medical foundations and all the grants combined,” said Dr. David Weinstein, who studies and treats patients with the disease at the University of Florida. “Ever.”

With the money, Weinstein already has hired new staff.

Donate at the website, www.chocolatebarbook.com.

(READ the story from ABC News or watch a video below, from NBC News in May, 2013)

Thanks to Amy Bajdo-Osborn for submitting the link on our Facebook Page!

Pittsburgh Bicycle Maker Builds One for Man Without Arms

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Sep 24, 2013

bicycle for armless-Pittsbugh Gazette video

Michael Trimble was born without arms, but is quite capable and independent. Still, he’s always wanted to own a bicycle since trying one as a child.

About a year ago, Mr. Trimble, 27, ordered online from REI a single-speed bicycle with a coaster brake and began to search for someone to customize it — but “no one wanted to touch it. … They told me that I am either a liability or that what I asked them to do could not be done.”

And then he met Michael Brown, the owner of Maestro Frameworks – maestroframeworks.com – on the North Side.

(WATCH the beautiful video below or READ the story from the Pittsburgh Gazette)

Video by Andrew Rush – Thanks to April Johnson-Shults for submitting the link on our Facebook Page!

Social Media ‘Eraser Button’ Law Would Let Kids Delete Web History

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Sep 24, 2013

mobile phone teen on sidewalk-JPott-flickr-cc

California legislators are working to give kids more control over their digital personas — and real-life futures — with a bill that would allow minors to permanently delete old web postings on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and similar social media networks.

The “eraser button,” or right-to-delete provision, is part of a unanimously-passed Senate Bill 568 that guarantees privacy rights for minors in California.

(READ the story from the CBC – More at NY Times)

Thanks to our volunteer, Autumn Marie C., for submitting the link!

Girl’s Death Sparks Global ‘Pay it Forward’ Movement

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Sep 23, 2013

AJO purple heart

Just three weeks ago, an 18-year-old girl in Erie, Pennsylvania named Alyssa Josephine O’Neill wanted to go to Starbucks with her mom but she suddenly died from an epileptic seizure.

Alyssa never got to taste her first pumpkin spice latte but, after the deadly seizure, her parents decided to buy 40 of the sweet, warm drinks for strangers, paying it forward in loving memory — with her initials scribbled on the cup, #AJO.

As a result, some Starbucks employees joined in and a campaign was born. Using the same hashtag #AJO, people from as far away as Korea, Iceland and India are buying coffees for strangers, writing #AJO in loving memory.

Now You Can Invest Your Money in a Fund to Advance Vaccines

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Sep 23, 2013

insulin-in-treating-diabetes A new investment fund structured by JPMorgan Chase and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will, for the first time, allow individual and institutional investors the opportunity to finance late-stage global health technologies that have the potential to save millions of lives in low-income countries.

With $94 million already committed by an international group of investors, the Global Health Investment Fund (GHIF) will invest in new drugs and vaccines, emerging diagnostic tools, and other applications that will help eliminate malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and infant mortality in low-income countries.

Former Teen Mom, DC’s Top Cop Believes in Compassion

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Sep 23, 2013

Police chief Cathy Lanier-wikipedia

Cathy Lanier went from being a teenage mom on food stamps to being Washington D.C.’s first female chief of police.

Hers was one of the steadying voices that emerged in the wake of Monday’s mass shooting at the Navy Yard.

The tough-as-nails commander told NBC News that she readily gives out her cellphone number to anyone in the community who might need it.

(WATCH the video or READ the story from NBC)

Shipping Industry Agrees to Slow Down for Threatened Whales

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Sep 22, 2013

whale in shipping lane - Cascadia Research

Persistent prompting by an Auckland scientist has persuaded the shipping industry to rearrange its schedules, for a whale.

After a six-year campaign led by Dr Rochelle Constantine, of the University of Auckland’s school of biological sciences, the shipping industry this week agreed to reduce speeds and take other measures to improve the chances of vulnerable marine mammals surviving ship strikes, especially the resident population of Bryde’s whales.

The “transit protocol” devised with the Port of Auckland will cost shipping companies time and money – matters Constantine confesses she finds less important than survival of a whale.

(READ the story from the New Zealand Herald)

Photo credit: Cascadia Research

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Trader Joe’s Ex-President To Turn Expired Food Into Cheap Meals

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Sep 22, 2013

produce section grocery store aerial-BunnyheroFlickr

In the U.S., about 40 percent of our food gets thrown out.

Doug Rauch, the former president of Trader Joe’s, is determined to repurpose the perfectly edible produce that ends up in the trash by cooking it, turning it into prepared meals and then selling it deeply discounted in a new type of store.

Continue

Boy Donates His Savings to the Police Department on 9/11

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Sep 21, 2013

Max Siepert donates to police dept-FB

A young contributor who anonymously dropped off $10.03 at a Wisconsin police department after the anniversary of 9/11 has been identified as 11-year-old Max Siepert.

The sixth-grader said he learned about the Sept. 11 attacks in school and heard about all the good deeds that are done on that date. He had been collecting money since April and decided what to do with it.

Max’s grandfather, it turns out, was a Milwaukee police officer who was killed in the line of duty in 1974. Max rode his bike to the police station without his parents’ knowledge to give the money in his grandfather’s honor. He definitely didn’t expect any attention.

Houston Fire Dept. Makes Dream Come True for Retired Firefighter with Alzheimer’s

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Sep 21, 2013

fire truck memory for Alzheimers captain-KHOUvid

A former Houston Fire Department captain got one last chance to strap on a helmet and climb aboard a fire truck this week

41 years ago Rufus Smith was a captain with the department and, since retiring, has been a mentor to newcomers.

Recently, Smith was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, but still dreamed of one last shift at Houston Fire Station 7, his old firehouse.

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