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Celebrity Chefs Are Serving Up Thousands of Meals to California Firefighters and Evacuees

By
McKinley Corbley
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These celebrity chefs aren’t just being hailed for serving up hot meals on television – they’re also feeding first responders and families who have been displaced by the California wildfires.

José Andrés and his charity, World Central Kitchen, have traveled around the world to feed people during every kind of natural disaster. In the past, they have made headlines for giving away millions of free meals to victims of Hurricane Florence and Hurricane Maria.

In Puerto Rico alone, he served over 3.6 million meals – and kitchen volunteers stayed for an entire year to keep making food for the recovering nation.

During Hurricane Florence, he and his team were the only hunger relief operation still operating locally during the brunt of the storm.

CHECK OUT: Buy Your Coffee to Help 40 Firefighters Who Lost Their Homes in Wildfires

Now, he and Food Network chef Tyler Florence are working alongside dozens of other volunteers in Camp and Woolsley, California so they can feed firefighters who are tirelessly tackling the blaze.

In addition to writing handwritten notes of gratitude on the lunch bags, they are also hand-delivering the meals to first responders on the scene of the fire and animal shelters that are taking care of displaced pets.

 

Celebrity chef Guy Fieri also fired up his stovetop this week to make dinner for the police officers currently stationed at Butte College, as well as the evacuees and firefighters in Chico.

“Guy Fieri made a surprise visit to serve dinner to everyone at the law enforcement staging area at Butte College,” wrote the Butte County Sheriff’s Twitter page. “Thank you so much Guy for filling our bellies and lifting our spirits.”

 

 

This is not the first time that Fieri has offered his culinary assistance, either; shortly after evacuating his own home in Santa Rosa last year, Fieri served thousands of meals to first responders and California families.

“In today’s tumultuous world, it’s amazing to see our fire fighters, military, law enforcement and first responders come together to rescue our communities devastated by fire,” wrote Fieri. “So many great people stepping up to take care of one another.”

 

 

Meanwhile, billionaire CEO Elon Musk recently volunteered his specially-equipped Tesla models to assist with transportation.

“If Tesla can help people in California wildfire, please let us know,” the Tesla CEO said. “Model S & X have hospital grade HEPA filters. Maybe helpful for transporting people.”

RELATED: Man Bought School Bus to Rescue Shelter Pets During Hurricanes –He Just Saved 64 During Florence

Though there has been no concrete statements about moving forward with the initiative, Chef Andrés enthusiastically suggested that the Teslas could be used to deliver meals to first responders in regions with higher air pollution.

Other Tesla users have simply taken to social media to vouch for the Tesla air filter’s efficiency.

“#ModelX HEPA filter was a massive help as we evacuated the #WoolseyFire last night,” says Twitter user Scott Spiro. “Air was unbreathable and literally caused my lungs to hurt until I got in the vehicle. Thank you #Tesla”

Finally, grocery chain Trader Joes has also reportedly been delivering donated food and supplies to volunteers in the afflicted areas.

 

(WATCH the food delivery in action below) – Photo by José Andrés

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New Online Shop Gives Free Men’s Shoes to Homeless for Every $59 Pair You Buy For Yourself

By
Good News Network
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It was not uncommon for Tian Mu to pass by someone who was living on the streets as he commuted every day in Los Angeles. After much contemplation, the seasoned tech entrepreneur decided to put his best foot forward for his local community—by devoting the heart and ‘sole’ of his next venture to helping the homeless.

With a bit of divine inspiration, Tian came up with Brethren Shoes—an online store that offers to give as much comfort as it sells.

“Homelessness in America is so pervasive, we can’t help but feel overwhelmed, but I believe in the kindness and generosity of the human spirit,” says the new footwear CEO.

Brethren Shoes is the only e-commerce store for men’s shoes that utilizes a “buy-one, give-one” model, notably made popular by TOMS Shoes. For those less familiar, the idea is simple—for every pair purchased, a second pair is donated. Unlike TOMS, however, Brethren Shoes focuses solely on assisting people experiencing homelessness in the U.S.

Best of all, Brethren customers will be wowed by the price and stylish selection—from classy wing tips to biker boots—all for $66 per pair ($59, with a GNN discount).

Additionally, if you just want to donate a pair to someone in need without buying a pair for yourself, Brethren Shoes offers a special charity price of just $33.

All the shoes are leather-free, too—but you’d never know it by looking at them.

Having launched in September to rave reviews, Brethren’s ‘donation shoes’ currently make up one-third of all sales, which shows significant support for Tian’s belief that we are all capable of a great deal of compassion and generosity when given the opportunity.

“Giving a pair to yourself and a fellow brother in need is a win-win for everyone,” Tian told Good News Network. “We all need shoes. We all have our journeys in life. Shouldn’t we all get there with confidence and comfort?”

RELATED: Adidas Sold 1 Million Shoes Made Out of Ocean Plastic Last Year

The first nonprofit receiving new shoes as part of the “buy-one, give-one” deal is Project Joy, which provides employment services to two homeless shelters north of L.A. in Lancaster, California. When they received their first donated batch, the young men there were thrilled by the new kicks.

“It brought a lot of excitement and positive energy to us all. By Brethren’s customers gifting the shoes, it led to a visible self-esteem boost,” says Kim Watson, founder of Project Joy. “The shoes brought this group of young men together. I saw them evolve from some guys who have been sharing a space to a unified force… walking together as brothers.

Brethren is offering GNN readers an automatic 10% discount ($6.60 deducted at check-out) for any $66 pair of shoes purchased through the links on this page—and they’re also giving GNN a small commission after every purchase at that price.

It’s a tremendous bonus, too, knowing that free shoes are delivered to a homeless social services provider like Project Joy—with an extra bit of joy coming back in satisfaction, because you’ve helped a young man stand tall.

(Shop online here, and get your automatic discount.)

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“Great hearts send forth steadily the secret forces that incessantly draw great events, and wherever the mind of man goes, nature will accompany him, no matter what the path.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Good News Network
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Pablo Fernández, CC License

Quote of the Day:  “Great hearts send forth steadily the secret forces that incessantly draw great events, and wherever the mind of man goes, nature will accompany him, no matter what the path.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Photo: by Pablo Fernández, CC license

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Man Given Second Chance at Life After Brain Tumor Vanishes Without Surgery or Explanation

By
McKinley Corbley
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Doctors are puzzling over how a man’s suspected malignant brain tumor suddenly disappeared without surgery – but the patient credits his miraculous recovery to faith and hope.

Paul Wood from Lodi, California first approached his doctor several months ago because he was having headaches and experiencing trouble walking unassisted.

After he was sent to a neurosurgeon at UC San Francisco, doctors suspected that Wood was suffering from a brain bleed – but then scans revealed signs of a brain tumor.

Rather than accept a dismal diagnosis, however, Wood turned to his faith and community.

RELATED: Man’s Cancer is Healed After Doing Random Acts of Kindness for a Year

Wood, who attends Gravity Church, was flooded with messages of support and prayers from his fellow church goers and local acquaintances.

Then, the day before his surgery, doctors were stunned to find that the suspected tumor had vanished.

“We do tests and we have medical technology and we try to come up with some conclusion. We’re like detectives – [but] sometimes things happen that we can’t explain,” Dr. Richard Yee told KOVR.

CHECK OUT: Toddler Wakes Up Right When Parents Agree to Remove Life Support, Doctors Call it Easter Miracle

With the surgery canceled, Wood simply says that “it’s a miracle and that is the way God planned it.”

Regardless of whether his recovery is thanks to divine intervention, Wood hopes that his story will inspire hope in patients suffering from similar diagnoses.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by KOVR

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Woman’s 2016 Facebook Post Leads to Michigan’s Successful Strike Down of Gerrymandering

By
McKinley Corbley
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In a landslide majority, the people of Michigan successfully passed a proposition that will eliminate gerrymandering for future elections – and it is all thanks to one woman’s Facebook post from 2016.

Katie Fahey had been overwhelmed by the amount of negativity on her social media feed following the presidential elections. Though she was a 27-year-old political amateur, she wanted to try and make a change in the political system – so she took it upon herself to address people’s distrust in their government by tackling gerrymandering.

“I’d like to take on gerrymandering in Michigan. If you’re interested in doing this as well, please let me know,” wrote Fahey.

In the hours that followed, the young woman from Caledonia was flooded with messages from interested friends and volunteers across the political spectrum. She created a Facebook group called Voters Not Politicians as a means of rallying her new supporters.

RELATED: Congress Members From Opposing Parties Are Visiting Each Other’s Districts So They Can Work Better Together in DC

Gerrymandering is the manipulation and redrawing of district boundaries as a means of favoring a political party. Within months of creating the group, Fahey and the Voters Not Politicians organization collected over 400,000 signatures to successfully put districting reform on the 2018 ballot in the form of Proposal 2. Then, they started raising awareness of the proposal.

“The people of Michigan have been locked out of effective change-making opportunities, but we have the power, energy, and drive to create a solution that ends gerrymandering and reinvigorates the very spirit of our democracy,” says Fahey on the organization’s website.

Finally, after two years of campaigning, Proposal 2 was approved with 61.1% of the vote during last week’s Election Day.

It follows in the footsteps of the California measure passed in 2010 that put the duty of drawing Congressional districts into the hands of an independent, transparent commission.

WATCH: Political Opponents Stun Voters When They Perform Unexpected Duet in Display of Comradery

“I knew we could do it. It feels right. It feels perfect,” Fahey told Bridge, a nonpartisan Michigan news source, just seconds after hearing about the proposition’s approval. “I feel like I believe in democracy still, because part of starting this and doing it this way was a belief that the people could come together and actually make change happen and we have.”

Now, instead of allowing district lines to be drawn by the ruling political party behind closed doors, boundary lines will be drawn by a 13-person citizen committee made up of 4 Republicans, 4 Democrats, and 5 people who do not identify with either party.

(WATCH the quick explanation video below) – Feature photo by Voters Not Politicians

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When Homeless Man Finds Artwork That Sells for Thousands, Man Tracks Him Down to Split the Earnings

By
Ryan Morris
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A homeless man’s life is taking a turn for the better thanks to a piece of art that he had found in the trash.

Adam, a Canadian man who has been sleeping on the streets of Edmonton, Alberta, first found the piece of art while he was dumpster diving.

He had uncovered a rare and authenticated frame from Disney’s animated film Bambi. After uncovering the illustration, he sold it to Alex Archbold at Commodity Inc. for $20.

It seems that neither Archbold, nor Adam, knew exactly what they had found until the artwork later sold on eBay for $3,700. Instead of keeping the earnings for himself, however, Archbold decided to track down the homeless man and split the earnings.

WATCH: Man Living in a Shack is Saved By His ‘Worthless’ Blanket That Spurs $1.5 Million Bidding War

“I decided the right thing to do was to find him, and whatever it sold for on eBay, I was going to give him half,” Archbold told CTV News. “Here’s a guy who needs it more than I do, so I just thought it was the right thing to do.”

Archbold then embarked on a 3-week search to find Adam, but had no luck.

“Getting him the money was difficult because he has no home and no phone number,” Archbold told CBC. “I took it upon myself to drive around town for a period of two weeks every single morning before work to try and find him. I found two of his friends; they told me that when they saw him next they would tell him to come in. And sure enough, he walked in my door.”

WATCH: Homeless Piano Player Stuns Viewers; Video Lands Him an Audition

Finally, Adam returned to the shop so he could sell another trinket. Archbold then reminded him of the piece he had previously brought in, and presented the homeless man with a manila envelope filled with $1,600 in cash, plus an extra $100.

“He’s a very humble and nice man, and he was silent. He was tearing up a little bit. He said, ‘Is this a joke? Is this for real?‘ And I said, ‘It’s 100 per cent for real,’” Archbold told the radio station. “He couldn’t understand why I was helping him, and he even offered to give me the $100 extra back. He was such a kind guy. I think he’s got great strength of character.”

Adam, who has been living on the streets for over 3 years, is currently staying in a motel until he can make his way home to London, Ontario so he can reunite with his mother and 4 children. As a means of helping his new friend, Archbold set up a GoFundMe page for Adam; and it has already exceeded its $10,000 goal.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Alex Archbold

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Denmark to Ban Sale of New Fossil Fuel Cars in 11 Years and Make EVs Cheaper

By
McKinley Corbley
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Last month, the prime minister of Denmark announced that the country will be banning the sale of new gasoline and diesel-fueled cars in 2030 as a means of reducing their carbon footprint.

Denmark hopes to have more than 1 million hybrid and electric vehicles on the roads before the ban goes into effect. Legislators say that they will be incentivizing the transition by making EVs more affordable and opening up their bus lanes to cleaner vehicles.

Though the Nordic country does not produce any of their own cars, they reportedly plan on collaborating with other EU nations to pressure automakers into manufacturing more electric vehicles, as reported by Bloomberg.

“I’m convinced that many Danes want to drive a green car if it’s affordable,” said Tax Minister Karsten Lauritzen, according to Bloomberg Environment. “So we want to support that development.”

RELATED: Charging Your Electric Vehicle Will Soon Be as Easy as Ordering a Pizza Delivery

If successful, the initiative will contribute to Denmark’s commitment to being carbon-free by 2050.

Denmark is not the first country to pass such sweeping legislation targeting fossil fuel cars, either – France is banning the use of petrol and gas-powered cars by 2040. Norway, on the other hand, is taking it one step further by banning the sale of all non-electric cars by 2025.

In order to accommodate the ever-increasing number of low-emission vehicles, Norway plans on constructing at least one charging station for every 10 electric cars on the road, amounting to at least 50,000 by 2020.

MORE: Dyson to Join Electric Vehicle Revolution With First Car Launch in 2021

Though it is unclear whether these charging stations would still be powered by fossil fuel or coal plants, there are nevertheless numerous environmental benefits to exclusively using hybrid or electric cars.

According to Sherry Boschert, author of “Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America”, using hybrids and electric cars that draw power from the traditional electric grid would drastically reduce the amount of nitrous oxide released into the air by 32% to 99%. Nitrogen oxides have proven to be very dangerous, with negative effects on people’s health as well as the environment.

Switching to low emission vehicles could also reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 17% to 71%, depending on the area.

Clean Up Negativity By Sharing The Good News With Your Friends On Social Media – Photo by Kevin Crumbs, CC

American Trucker Spontaneously Buying Dinner for Canadian Veterans — One of His ‘Greatest Memories’

By
Good News Network
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American trucker John Meiring was driving through Canada two months ago when he suddenly felt compelled to show some love to a restaurant full of veterans.

It was September 11th when Meiring stopped at Robbie’s Spaghetti House in Ottawa. As he was pulling up outside of the restaurant, he noticed a bus with a sign reading “Vets on Wheels” parked outside of the facility.

The vehicle had been used to transport 17 veterans from the Perley and Rideau Veterans Health Centre to the restaurant so they could enjoy a night out.

When Meiring saw the veterans eating dinner together, he approached the owner of the restaurant and said that he wanted to buy dinner for all of the veterans.

RELATED: When Helicopter Upsets Tennis Player With PTSD, His Teammate Abandons Game to Comfort Him Using a Song

Though the owner thought that Meiring was kidding, the trucker said that his son has been serving in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army and Meiring wanted to do something kind for the veterans – even if they were from a different country.

“It put a smile on everybody’s face. It’s going to be one of my greatest memories of my life,” Meiring told CTV News in the interview below. “It warmed my heart immensely that I could do this for them.”

MORE: Woman Dials Wrong Number, is Stunned When Jimmy John’s Delivery Driver Says He’ll Pick Up Her Sick Brother

“A lot have made the ultimate sacrifice and never came home. I want people to think about that,” he added.

The veterans told the news outlet that it is a compassionate gesture that they will never forget, and they look forward to being reminded of Meiring every time they go out for dinner in the future.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo released by CTV News Ottawa

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“The only true happiness comes from squandering ourselves for a purpose.” – William Cooper

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day:  “The only true happiness comes from squandering ourselves for a purpose.” – William Cooper

Photo: by Project Morpheus, CC license

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Community of Tiny Homes Breaks Cycle of Addiction and Homelessness for Single Moms

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Good News Network
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Homeless single moms are breaking the cycle of addiction and reuniting with their children thanks to a community of tiny homes and the services provided here.

Acres of Hope allows the women to live in one of ten cottages for up to two years, accessing the aid that helps them finish their education, clear criminal records, get higher paying jobs, find permanent housing—and, most importantly, address the root causes of their addiction, so they can achieve personal success.

Instead of being shuffled from program to program without any real change, this Christian-based nonprofit in Auburn, California, aims for life-changing transformation. The staff and volunteers invest heavily in their lives by providing encouragement, practical life-skills training, job skills, mentoring and spiritual direction.

“We give them the opportunity to breathe and exit survival-mode,” says Executive Director Lisa Risdal. “Our graduates have become strong independent women who are also loving and nurturing mothers.”

“‘Breaking the cycle of homelessness’ aren’t just words at Acres of Hope—it’s really happening.”

Plenty of women in the last ten years who have ‘graduated’ can testify to its effectiveness.

“I walked in homeless, my children about to be adopted after 18 months of being in foster care, no job, no transportation and no close family support,” wrote Brea Bowman online. “This program transformed mine and my 3 children’s lives—my kids were returned, my case closed successfully, I have an amazing career that is beyond my wildest dreams, a home to call our own, transportation and my dignity back… Now I get to go out into this world and give back what was so freely given to me.”

RELATED: Man is Working to Convert Cruise Ship into Supportive Housing Community for the Homeless

The well-maintained sunny cottages are nestled among trees, with a playground and daycare center on-site.

Photos courtesy of Acres of Hope-Auburn Facebook Page

7-year-old Tyler arrived on the campus earlier this year and Risdal noticed him joyfully running around with his hand raised high in the air. His high-pitched squeal gave away his excitement.

“I asked, ‘Why are you so excited?’”

“He looked up at me, held out his hand, and proclaimed with a big grin across his face, ‘I have a key, this means we don’t have to go back to foster care!’”

(WATCH a video from KTXL-TV 40 News)

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Hiker Was About to Die in a Snowstorm When She Was Saved by a Total Stranger Following Her Intuition

By
McKinley Corbley
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Nancy and Katharina, Photo by Snohomish County Sheriff's Office

LISTEN to this story in our podcast, told by The Good News Guru (the GNN Founder) on Friday’s radio broadcast with Ellen K on KOST-103.5 — Or, READ the story below… (Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes – or for Androids, on Podbean)

A 34-year-old hiker was in dire straits, but she was rescued thanks to a life-saving guardian angel—a stranger who couldn’t stop worrying about her.

Nancy Abell was out for a day hike in the mountains of Washington state in October when she first spotted a hiker in a red jacket heading north towards Canada without snowshoes.

Katharina Groene traveled from Munich determined to hike the entire 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail after feeling like she’d lost her faith in humanity—the exact storyline in the Reese Witherspoon movie WILD, based on the book written by Cheryl Strayed, which inspired her long hike.

Katharina started at the trailhead, journeyed north and made it all the way to the Glacier Peak Wilderness: an alpine mountain range in Washington that is considered the hardest part of the entire trail.

LOOK: Mysterious Cat Rescues Injured Tourist From Swiss Mountains

Since the area is prone to snow storms, most people try and finish the trail by September – but when October rolled around and Katharina found herself within 200 miles of Canada, she couldn’t bear to turn around when she was so close to her goal, despite Nancy’s advice to do so.

Katharina and Nancy spent several hours chatting while hiking side-by-side along the trail until they eventually parted ways. Nancy, however, could not stop worrying about the German hiker, so she made sure to check the daily weather forecasts along the trail from her home in Salta, Washington.

Only a few days later, a storm rolled in. Concerned for her new friend, Nancy posted on a local hiker’s forum asking if anyone had met a German hiker headed north. Someone reported they had run into her two days previously—but no on had seen her since.

RELATED: Woman Changes Homeless Man’s Life After He Stood on Same Street Corner for 3 Years

Nancy couldn’t shake the feeling that Katharina was in danger, so she called rescue services and told them about the missing hiker. Since she knew that Groene had planned on hiking 15 miles every day, she calculated how far along the trail the German hiker would likely be based on the weather and how much she was carrying.

Sgt. John Adams of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit said, “She told us she would probably be north of Mica Lake but south of the Suiattle River—which ended up being right on.”

Sure enough, Groene had slowed to a pace of 7 miles per day trying to reach a ranger’s station 30 miles away. She was soaking wet and showing signs of hypothermia and frostbite. She was running out of food and the tarp that had kept her tent dry had blown away in the wind. Her cell phone had lost service by the time she woke up in whiteout conditions.

MORE: Grandma Drives Away Trouble On Her City’s Toughest Streets

She was prepared for the worst—but then suddenly, a rescue helicopter spotted her red jacket based on Nancy’s precise calculations. Katharina was saved.

Nancy and Katharina, Photo by Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office

She was invited to stay with Nancy at her home, where the two have become ‘Wild’ friends—and even though she didn’t complete the trail, she got to check off that box: Faith in humanity restored!

Save Your Friends From Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social Media – Photo by Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office

When Filmmaker Sits Down With Neo-Nazis to See if They Would ‘Hate in-Person’, She Had Extraordinary Experience

By
Peace News
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Reprinted with permission from Peace News Network
Written by Kate Roff

When Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Deeyah Khan met with neo-Nazis, she was scared – but she ended up being surprised by what she experienced.

“I decided to pick up my camera and go and see if I could sit down with people who feel this intense dislike, or even hatred, towards people like me,” Ms Khan told Peace News.

The daughter of immigrants, a Muslim woman, a feminist, a liberal and a human rights activist, Khan is familiar with being a target for hatred and prejudice.

RELATED: Black Man Befriending KKK Members Has Led to 200 People Quitting the Organization

“For these movements, I very much represent something that they absolutely despise and that they are trying to prevent,” Khan said.

But part of the reason why Khan released her film White Right: Meeting the Enemy last year was to bridge divides between opposing groups and see if it was possible to “hate in-person”.

“For me it’s about primarily getting in touch with our common humanity,” Khan said. “To see if it’s possible for us to break down the prejudices that exist between groups.”

MORE: When Truck is Vandalized With Racist Graffiti Auto Shop Will Not Just Stand By

Her first interview was with the leader of the US National Socialist Movement. She was more than a little intimidated. Death threats are not a new experience for Khan and the violence she has encountered was at the forefront of her mind when she went into the interview.

“He asked me to come to where he lives, in his neighborhood, at a specific motel,” Khan said. “We set up all our cameras and were just waiting for him to arrive and I remember thinking ‘what are you doing?’. I was thinking ‘What if he’s armed? What if he’s bringing people with him?’”

Once he arrived, however, Khan said the experience was extraordinary. It was awkward at first, but without the usual context of angry mobs facing each other and shouting, Khan said the dynamic shifted. She said that – just by being ready to listen – everything changed.

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“Our repeated failures to fully act as we would wish MUST not discourage us. It is the sincere intention that is the essential thing, and this will in time release us from the bondage of habits…” – Thomas Troward

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day:  “Our repeated failures to fully act as we would wish MUST not discourage us. It is the sincere intention that is the essential thing, and this will in time release us from the bondage of habits which at present seem almost insuperable.” – Thomas Troward

Photo: by Luz Adriana Villa, CC license

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Veterans Are Finding Peace From PTSD Through ‘Float Therapy’

By
Ryan Morris
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Veterans across the U.S. are finding an extraordinary source of relief from their pain and PTSD thanks to floatation therapy, an alternative treatment for physical and emotional ailments.

’Floating’ consists of laying in a small pool filled with 10 inches of salt water containing roughly 1,000 pounds of magnesium sulfate – or as its more commonly known, Epsom salt. The high levels of salt counteract the effects of gravity, allowing the patient to float gently on top of the bed of water.

The water is heated to around 94.2 degrees Fahrenheit – about the same temperature as the human body – which creates the sensation of being suspended in air.

In the dark sound-free environment, the room, also known as a “sensory deprivation chamber” creates an atmosphere for meditation and deep contemplation, allowing the mind to enter the Theta state, which is the frequency at which the brain operates right before falling into deep sleep.

RELATED: FDA Grants ‘Breakthrough’ Status to Psilocybin Mushroom Therapy for Untreatable Depression

By depriving patients of sensory information, the experience allows for a safe and therapeutic environment with which veterans can experience significant relaxation—maybe even process past trauma.

Air Force veteran Trey Hearn was so convinced of the benefits of sensory deprivation for veterans, that he and his brother opened up Float Brothers in Destin, Florida. He told Military 1, he sees it as a way for the veteran to feel secure and safe enough to approach the suppressed traumatic events during a sort of “internal counseling session with themselves.”

LISTEN: Neuroscientists Discover a Song That Reduces Anxiety By 65%

33-year-old Wesley Hernandez is a veteran who has been undergoing flotation therapy since June in Nashville, Tennessee. He says that it has had a dramatic impact on his health.

“The last time I went, I didn’t even want to get out of the water; it’s an escape from the stress and the drama,” Wesley told Good News Network. “It’s like a deep meditation.”

This 2014 study shows that patients who underwent floatation therapy experienced reductions in blood pressure, stress, anxiety, and physical pain, as well as improvements in sleep quality and optimism.

CHECK OUT: Give Yourself a Break – New Research Says Kicking Back in a Sauna Has Surprising Health Benefits

Wesley’s wife and caregiver Leah told GNN that it’s the best therapy they’ve found, so far.

“Of all the therapies gifted to us by the Wounded Warriors Project, floating has been the one that he seems to want to do over and over.”

If This Story Floats Your Boat, Be Sure And Share It To Social Media – Photo by Schappelle, CC

Congress Members From Opposing Parties Are Visiting Each Other’s Districts So They Can Work Better Together in DC

By
McKinley Corbley
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As a means of closing the political divide between Democrats and Republicans in Congress, a unique program is flying federal lawmakers to each others’ hometowns so they become closer friends and colleagues.

The American Congressional Exchange (ACE) flies members of Congress from across the political spectrum to the districts of opposing party members, where they spend the next 48 hours learning about each other’s personal lives and their communities. It was all started back in 2016 by public affairs consultant Jonathan Perman in order to bring bipartisanship back to Capitol Hill.

Some of the most successful pieces of legislation in history, he says, were driven by bipartisan efforts, such as the Civil Rights Act, the Social Security Act, and the Federal Highway Act.

“Forty or fifty years ago, legislators lived in Washington,” Perman told Macalester University. “They got to know each other, their spouses, their children. Now the constant pressure to raise money for reelection forces them to return to their districts nearly every weekend. They don’t get to know people from the other side of the aisle anymore.”

WATCH: Political Opponents Stun Voters When They Perform Unexpected Duet in Display of Comradery

Originally inspired to create the project by his love of history as a political science major, he was unsure of whether legislators would actually participate—but he’s been pleasantly surprised by their reactions.

Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) and Rep. Jack Bergman (R-MI) participating in American Congressional Exchange

“I needed to vet the idea, so I spent the last half of 2016 meeting with former and current members of Congress, political thought leaders, and Hill staffers, all of whom encouraged me to advance the concept,” says Perman.

RELATED: Instead of Arguing Online, Political Foes Are Coming Together Over Food to ‘Make America Dinner Again’

Perman, alongside fellow staffers at the Bipartisan Policy Center, plan the weekend trips so that the House members are able to socialize informally while still spending structured time learning about the district. ACE has successfully facilitated 7 trips between legislators this year, with three more planned in the near future. Next year, they hope to host 20 visits.

“We thought at first the congressional participants would be mostly moderates, but we were wrong,” Perman says. “We’re getting interest from across the political spectrum—that’s encouraging. If we can involve 10 to 15 percent of Congress, then we are beginning to impact how Congress works.”

(WATCH the program in action in the video below) – Photo by Bipartisan Policy Center

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Man Reads About an Alleged Dognapping Right As Someone Drives Up With the Famous Missing Pup

By
McKinley Corbley
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Miguel Camacho, right, with Cameron's parents – photo by Helen Trotman

The internet had been on red alert since a YouTube-famous kiteboarding dog went missing from its family last week.

Zeus the 7-year-old Jack Russell terrier has made something of a name for himself, after his 16-year-old owner Cameron Maramenides began posting videos of the dog kiteboarding on social media.

Cameron, who will compete on Team USA for the 2020 Olympics in the new event of kitesurfing, was at an event in St. Petersburg, Florida when his pup was allegedly stolen by an older man in a grey sedan.

Meanwhile, Miguel Comacho, an electrician’s apprentice, had just finished studying in West Tampa park and noticed a news story in his social media feed about the missing dog.

RELATED: In ‘Freakish Miracle’, Man’s Change of Fishing Spot Results in Rescuing 18-Month-old From the Ocean

Intrigued by the story, he started reading and continued through the article, and then looked up and saw an older man in a grey sedan with a Jack Russell terrier that looked just like Zeus—with black spots over his eyes.

Comacho snapped a photo of the pup and sent it to Cameron’s phone number, which was listed in the news article. Sure enough, the Olympian responded saying that the dog was indeed Zeus.

They didn’t know whether the man was armed or dangerous, and police officers were not allowed to intervene unless the owners were present – but Cameron, who had been searching for the dog for five days, begged Comacho to at least keep an eye on his dog to make sure it was okay.

MORE: Watch Good Samaritan Teenager Revive a Squirrel With CPR After it Ran Into His Car

Comacho immediately hopped into his car and started following the sedan until suddenly, the man pulled over, walked over to Comacho’s vehicle, and asked why he was being followed.

“I believe that dog isn’t yours,” Camacho told him, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “I’m on the phone with his owner right now.”

WATCH: This Man Used His Motorcycle to Rescue 166 Abandoned Cows

After some discussion with the man, who said he thought the dog was lost, Comacho walked up to the sedan and called Zeus’s name only to have the 7-year-old pup answer dutifully and run over.

Miguel Camacho, right, with Cameron’s parents – photo by Helen Trotman

The electrician then brought the dog to his car and left the scene. Later, he met Cameron’s family in a sporting goods store parking lot for an emotional reunion. The electrician was delighted to learn that there was a $3,500 reward—a prize, in this case, well deserved, that he will partly spend on Christmas presents for his kids.

“We are feeling completely exhausted, yet elated and we are still pinching ourselves to see if we are dreaming,” Helen Trotman, Cameron’s mother, told the Times. “We are so fortunate Miguel was there and was willing to put himself into a possible dangerous situation to get our dog back.”

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Watch Flight Attendant’s Amusing Safety Announcement That Left Passengers in Stitches

By
Good News Network
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Daniel Sandberg is being hailed as “the world’s funniest flight attendant” after he put an amusing spin on the ordinary in-flight safety announcements.

Sandberg, a Frontier Airlines flight attendant, took advantage of the 3-minute instructional routine to entertain the 150 passengers on a flight to Colorado Springs last week.

His jokes included this gem that followed the oxygen mask tutorial, “And, let’s be honest, only those of you who paid the extra $49.99 get any oxygen.”

55-year-old Cindy Kuhns, who captured some of the wise cracks on video, was just one of the many fliers who erupted into applause after the comedic stunt was over.

(WATCH the video below) – Photo by Caters News

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“The ability to observe without evaluating is a higher form of intelligence.” – Krishnamurti

By
Good News Network
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Quote of the Day:  “The ability to observe without evaluating is a higher form of intelligence.” – Krishnamurti

Photo: by Tambako the Jaguar, CC license

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Doctor Who Discovered Natural Way to Treat Vertigo for Free Writes Book On How Sufferers Can Thrive

By
Good News Network
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Dr. Carol Foster went viral back in 2013 for discovering a simple, non-pharmaceutical method of dealing with common vertigo in just 3 minutes.

Now, she has written an entire book on how people suffering from the condition can thrive without having to spend hundreds of dollars on medical treatment.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, is the medical term for dizziness caused by loose crystals in the inner ear. It affects more than eight million people in the United States alone, making it the most common vertigo disorder in the country.

Unfortunately, there are too few professionals who can treat it. Many BBPV sufferers are simply unable to find a solution to ease their suffering.

RELATED: Woman Makes Drug-free Patches That Treat Nausea, Cramps, Vertigo, Hangovers – And Even Car Sick Pets

Foster, who is an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Colorado, Denver School of Medicine, suffered from severe vertigo for years. Her personal experience with the disorder made her uniquely qualified and motivated to find a solution that she could share with the world.

“This is why I wrote this book,” says Foster. “What I had learned about vertigo as a physician didn’t come close to matching what I learned from personal experience. It was much, much worse than I ever imagined before it happened to me.”

Foster’s experience led her to develop the Half Somersault maneuver and eventually to write her new book, “Overcoming Positional Vertigo”, which is available on Amazon.

MORE: Give Yourself a Break – New Research Says Kicking Back in a Sauna Has Surprising Health Benefits

As Foster says, “it became my life’s mission to help as many other people with vertigo as possible.”

The book describes and illustrates a simple, effective way to treat the problem at home, for free, in minutes. Instead of having to find a trained specialist or pay for a clinic visit, people with vertigo can quickly learn how to perform the maneuver and how to take other preventative measures to help avoid recurrence.

The book also expands on the basics found in Foster’s YouTube video, which has been viewed over five million times.

(WATCH the video below)

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When Mother Runs Out of Formula for Crying Infant, Flight Attendant Offers Up Her Own Breast Milk

By
Good News Network
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Though breast milk may not be on the ordinary in-flight menu, this stewardess was more than happy to offer up some nourishment for an anxious mother and her crying infant.

24-year-old Patricia Organo had been working aboard a Philippine Airlines flight late last month when a tiny newborn passenger started to wail.

“Everything went smoothly until after take off, I heard an infant’s cry, a cry that will make you want to do anything to help,” says Organo. “I approached the mother and asked if everything was okay … Teary-eyed, she told me that she ran out of formula milk.”

The baby was now crying so loudly, other passengers were turning to stare at the passenger and her child – so Organo, who is a new mother herself, volunteered to help in a way that only mothers can do.

LOOK: Photo of Man Holding Baby for a Stranger While She Does Paperwork is Melting Hearts Across the Internet

“I felt a pinch in my heart,” she wrote. “I thought to myself, there’s only one thing I could offer and that’s my own milk. And so I offered.”

The mother gratefully accepted and followed the flight attendants back to the galley where Organo fed the woman’s baby for her.

RELATED: When Radio Station Hears About Mom Struggling to Care for Sick Son, They Give Her Surprise She Will Never Forget

“I saw the relief in her mother’s eyes,” writes Organo. “I continued to feed the baby until she fell asleep, [then] I escorted her back to her seat and just before I left, the mother sincerely thanked me.”

Not only was Organo happy to help a stranger in need, her compassionate gesture also helped get her a promotion with the airline as well.

Fly This Story Over To Your Friends By Sharing It To Social Media – Photo by Patrisha Organo

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