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“Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.” – Lao Tzu

Quote of the Day:  “Music in the soul can be heard by the universe.” – Lao Tzu

Photo: by #tom #malavoda, 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?

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

Two opposing political candidates recently ended one of their debates on an unexpected note: they pulled out their musical instruments for a duet.

Zac Mayo has been campaigning throughout Lamoille County, Vermont as a Republican candidate for a state House seat. Lucy Rogers has been running against him as the Democratic candidate.

Both of the politicians have been attempting to visit each and every one of the 2,000 houses in their county in a bid to win the election – but despite their passionate political race, they also wanted to surprise their voters with a stunning display of civility.

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Following a debate at the local library, Mayo and Rogers asked the moderator if they could have a few extra minutes to do something special for the attendees.

Mayo then pulled out a guitar and Rogers pulled out her cello – and together, they sang an emotional rendition of “Society” by Eddie Vedder.

Voters were so touched by the performance, many said that it had become a “turning point” for them in the election.

(WATCH the tear-jerking video below or our international viewers can watch the footage at the CBS News website) – Photo by Lucy Rogers

Pass This Sweet Story Forward To Your Friends Across The Story: Share It To Social Media

After Becoming Largest European City to Offer Free Public Transit, They’re Enjoying a ‘Revolution’ From Their Buses

It has been one month since Dunkirk became the largest European city to provide free public transportation to the masses – and it has had an amazing impact on the community.

All of the buses in the French city are free for visitors and residents to use. The fleet includes 140 buses, many of which run on green energy sources and have free WiFi.

Since the city of 200,000 adopted the buses, they have become community hotspots for trivia events, social activities, and even celebrity appearances.

Studies have shown that in addition to reducing air pollution within the port city limits, free public transit has increased mobility amongst older and younger residents and increased feelings of freedom.

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“I never used the bus before,” one passenger told The Guardian. “It was too much bother getting tickets or a pass. Now I leave the car at home and take the bus to and from work. It’s so easy.”

The news outlet goes on to say that passenger numbers have increased between 50% to 85%, depending on the route. Passengers have also taken advantage of the public spaces by having more conversations with strangers.

Legislators and scientists hope that – with a little more research to back it up – the initiative’s success may inspire other cities to follow suit.

Drive The Good News To Your Friends By Sharing To Social MediaRepresentative photo by Charles Dyer, CC

Dad Confronts Bully by Treating Him Like a Son – Now the Homeless Boy Has Money and Friendship

Want to LISTEN to this story? Hear the segment from The Good News Guru (the GNN Founder) on our Friday 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)

When this father heard that his son was being bullied at school, he took a more compassionate approach to confronting the problem.

At first, Aubrey Fontenot was angry to hear that his 8-year-old son Jordan was being picked on at school by another boy named Tamarion—but instead of fighting fire with fire, he decided to invite the boy out for some one-on-one time together.

With permission from Tamarion’s family, Aubrey picked the boy up in his car and drove him around Houston, Texas. As they sat in the car, Aubrey gently asked Tamarion about why he was fighting with Jordan.

To the father’s surprise, Tamarion said that it was because other kids were bullying him at school for not having clean clothes. A quick phone call to the boy’s mother revealed that the family was homeless and having trouble finding financial stability.

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Without hesitation, Aubrey took Tamarion out shopping for new clothes as if he was buying for his own son. Afterwards, the two spent the rest of their car ride laughing and singing along to the radio.

“We have no clue what these children are going through these days because a lot of us just don’t care,” says Aubrey. “And this is not an uncommon story for a lot of people … so I spent a lot of my day yesterday shopping and teaching this young man about self-respect. Integrity. Morals. Confidence. And other things that consist of going from a troubled youth to a great man.”

Then, Aubrey sat Tamarion down across from his son and asked them to talk things out. Though the two boys initially spent a few minutes awkwardly sitting across from each other, Aubrey eventually got them to “settle things as men” and start a conversation.

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Now, the boys are best friends.

Jordan and Aubrey have been spending their days playing video games with each other at Aubrey’s tattoo shop – they are even planning a sleepover for the near future.

Additionally, Aubrey started a GoFundMe page for Tamarion’s family – and in just a few days, it has raised almost $23,000.

“Things really turned out phenomenal,” says Aubrey, “more than I could ever imagined.”

(WATCH the sweet montage below)

Pass On This Sweet Story Of Compassion To Your Friends On Social MediaPhoto by Aubrey Fontenot

Watch Baseball Playoff Winners and Celebrities Play Ping-Pong in Dodger Stadium to Lift Kids From Trafficking

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)

At Dodger Stadium recently, Clayton Kershaw was on the mound — not for the baseball fans, but playing ping-pong to serve underprivileged kids around the world.

The Dodger, who pitched brilliantly last week in the crucial fifth game of the playoffs, appeared on that same grass recently, playing his second–favorite sport with some heavy-hitting Hollywood celebrities.

Matthew McConaughey, Bryan Cranston, Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Jamie Foxx, among others, came to play ball—grabbing paddles in Kershaw’s 6th annual Ping Pong 4 a Purpose tournament.

The tables were set up around the infield where even Bill Nye the Science Guy was swinging to match last year’s fundraising total of a million bucks for charity.

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Some of the money will benefit The Dream Center in LA with a new playground, and sponsor 20 children to be rescued from trafficking in the Dominican Republic.

McConaughey was presented with an award and a donation to his foundation, Just Keep Livin’, which provides after school programs to help disadvantaged kids all over America.

This year’s PingPong4Purpose included a silent auction of one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia, and an online auction to win the ultimate Dodger fan experience—a one-on-one pitching lesson from the ace himself, Clayton Kershaw. Event organizers delivered the eleven ping pong tables used—and autographed by the stars—to Boys and Girls Clubs all over Los Angeles.

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Since 2001, Kershaw and his wife’s nonprofit Foundation, Kershaw’s Challenge, has given over $6 million to support at-risk kids.

Although Kershaw lost in the semi-finals of ping pong, after trash-talking about being the best, the 3-time Cy Young Award Winner delivered on the pitcher’s mound this week when it counted—but unlike the playoffs, they all went home winners on this night, and so did the kids.

(WATCH the video…)

Score Big With Your Friends By Sharing This Story To Social Media

Baseball Playoff Winners and Celebrities Play Ping-Pong in Dodger Stadium to Lift Kids From Trafficking (Podcast)

The Dodgers took to the field recently, not for the baseball fans, but playing ping-pong with Matthew McConaughey, Ashton Kutcher, Jamie Foxx, and Bryan Cranston to serve underprivileged kids. Hear The Good News Guru serve up all the details (from the October 19, 2018 Ellen K. Morning Show on KOST-103.5 radio in Los Angeles).

WATCH the video and read more on GNN…

“Education is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire.” – William Yeats

Quote of the Day:  “Education is not filling a bucket but lighting a fire.” – William B.Yeats

Photo: copyright 2018 GWC

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?

Scientists Growing Rice With Seawater Could Feed ‘Entire Arab World’

A successful experiment in the deserts of Dubai may promise to curb hunger around the world.

A team of Chinese scientists has managed to develop a specific strain of rice that grows in saltwater. Not only that, it yields far more rice than the average freshwater-dependent strains.

Back in January, the researchers were invited by representatives of the United Arab Emirates to plant some of the salt-tolerant rice in different patches of the desert where water is too precious to waste on crops that depend on such intense hydration.

After five months of growth, severals strains of the modified rice yielded as much as 7.8 tons of food per hectare. For comparison, the global average stands at 3.3 tons per hectare.

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The researchers from the Qingdao Saltwater Rice Research and Development Center are continuing the project by launching an experimental 100-hectare saltwater rice farm in 2019 that will evaluate the costs of production and different farming techniques. They hope to then accelerate their rate of production by 2020.

Their longterm goal is to cover up to 10% of the UAE with the saltwater rice paddies – and if the technology proves to be consistently successful in Dubai’s harsh agricultural climate, then the farms could “feed the entire Arab world.”

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According to Yuan Longping, the “father of hybrid rice” and leader of the research institute, there are over 386,000 square miles (1 million kilometers) of land in China that is currently going unused due to the high salt content of the soil.

By planting his specially developed saltwater rice on just one-tenth of this land, it would boost the nation’s food production by 20% – which is enough to feed over 200 million people.

Plant Some Positivity Amongst Your Friends By Sharing The Good News To Social MediaPhoto by Qingdao Saltwater Rice Research and Development Center

Growing Up Surrounded by Books Could Have Powerful, Lasting Effect on the Mind

If you grew up in a household that had its fair share of book shelves, it might say something positive about your personality now that you’re all grown up.

This new study from the Australian National University School of Sociology found that people who grew up in book-filled homes have higher reading, math, and technological skills.

The researchers analyzed data that was taken from surveys between 2011 and 2015. The data featured 160,000 adults (ages 25 to 65) across 31 nations, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Singapore, and Turkey.

All participants were asked how many books there were in their home when they were 16 years old. (One meter of shelving, they were told, holds about 40 books.) They chose from a series of options ranging from “10 or less” to “more than 500.”

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If a household held at least 80 books, then participants went on to display the average rate of literacy and numeracy. The rate of literacy continued to increase in parallel to the amount of books a household contained until the rate ceased to increase from 350 books onwards.

Furthermore, young teenagers who grew up around books were shown to have the same levels of literacy and numeracy as university graduates who had only grown up around a few books.

Literacy was defined as “the ability to read effectively to participate in society and achieve personal goals.” Participants took tests that “captured a range of basic through advanced comprehension skills, from reading brief texts for a single piece of information to synthesizing information from complex texts.”

Numeracy tests measured the “ability to use mathematical concepts in everyday life,” while IT-related tests “assessed the ability to use digital technology to communicate with others, as well as to gather, analyze, and synthesize information.”

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The results suggest those volumes made a long-term difference. “Growing up with home libraries boosts adult skills in these areas beyond the benefits accrued from parental education, or [one’s] own educational or occupational attainment,” the researchers report.

Not surprisingly, the biggest impact was on reading ability. “The total effects of home library size on literacy are large everywhere,” the researchers report.

The paper was co-authored by Joanna Sikora and published in Social Science Research earlier this month.

(Source: Australian National University)

Help Your Friends Read This Story By Sharing It To Social MediaPhoto by Australian National University

Business Savvy 9-Year-old Sells Out of Cookies by Taking Advantage of Canada’s First Cannabis Sales

This clever young entrepreneur managed to sell out of cookies in less than 45 minutes thanks to an exciting new business opportunity in Canada.

Earlier this week, Canada became the second nation in the world to legalize recreational marijuana – and as dozens of people lined up outside of cannabis dispensaries to celebrate the historic day, 9-year-old Elina Childs took advantage of the occasion to sell her Girl Guide cookies.

Elina, who is a Girl Guide from Edmonton, Alberta, says that she has never had as much luck with trying to sell her cookies by going door-to-door, since people are not often home when she knocks. Additionally, she was once bitten by a homeowner’s dog.

When she was peddling her sweet treats to the customers of Nova Cannabis, however, she said that there were people of all ages, races, genders, and styles waiting in line – and all of them were equally as welcoming of the little entrepreneur.

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In less than an hour, Elina was able to sell all 30 boxes of cookies, which garnered $120 for the Girl Guides.

“Everybody we met was incredibly friendly, it was a great atmosphere and there was not a single thing going on in that line that I saw that I would just say, ‘Oh, my god, I need to shield your eyes from this,’” Elina’s dad Seann told CBC.

“Everybody was respectful, everybody was happy, and she walked away from it as this incredibly positive experience as well as selling out all her Brownie cookies. She can go and be happy that she’d done that and help support the Guides too.”

Give Your Friends The Munchies For More Good News: Share This Sweet Story To Social MediaPhoto by Seann Childs

Five Tips On How You Can Help the Homeless This Winter

While estimates vary, experts place the number of homeless in the United States somewhere near 550,000; a number that is tough to calculate because there tend to be the more permanently homeless – those who we see on the streets or living in the woods – and those who can be seen as transitionally or temporarily homeless: they’ve lost housing until a new job kicks in, or they’re moving from one neighbor or relative to another.

In any case, these people will soon have to make it through the cold, snow, and sleet that will arrive with the upcoming winter months.

I have been serving the homeless for ten years. During that time, I’ve seen the toll that the chill of winter takes on every single one of these people. I’m often asked “what can I do to help?” by people who are moved by these stories of homelessness.

It’s a complicated problem, with no one-size fits all solution – but there are ways you can start helping the homeless this winter, right in your own community. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Learn About Local Organizations Addressing Hunger. Simply Googling “homelessness” in your area can lead you to government and nonprofit organizations addressing the problem. In most instances, volunteers are warmly welcomed. It’s a great way to see specifically what these groups do and which ones are a good match for the skills that you bring to the table. Do you want to help by bringing meals and serving at a shelter? Can you give someone a ride to a healthcare provider? Do you have clothes or other items to donate that can be particularly useful during the winter? See what the needs are, and where you can step in, and then get started.

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2. Bring the Homelessness Issue to the Attention of your Place of Worship. Often government agencies and nonprofits don’t have the resources to address all aspects of homelessness. They need help and I’ve seen the meaningful contributions that faith-based groups can make. Most believers are inclined to help when told how. Sometimes, they figure it out on their own. I’m often asked things like “can you use some clothes, some food, some bus tokens?” People want to get involved. In addition to ongoing programs, our church started giving propane tanks (the kind you use for charcoal grills) to those living in the woods to provide heat and gas for cooking.

3. Be Prepared to Speak with Homeless People. If you have the opportunity to serve at a shelter, for example, introduce yourself and engage in a conversation with someone who’s homeless. Often, it’s one event – losing a job, prolonged illness, divorce, or some combination that begins the downward spiral to homelessness. It’s so important to them to be seen as an individual; to be accorded respect. It doesn’t have to be anything deep; take your cue from them. Sometimes, you can help by being nothing more than a good listener. Similarly, finding someone outside of a fast food restaurant asking for some money might give you the opportunity to provide them with an extra dimension of warmth during the cold and buy them a meal to show them some kindness. Some situations might be intimidating; use your common sense, but know too that sometimes if we’re going to make a difference, we’ve got to venture outside our comfort zone.

4. Stay Abreast of What the Government is Doing to Help the Homeless. Federal, state, and local governments budget for social services for those in need with your taxes – and you elect the officials who determine where budget money goes. Keep informed and let them know you’re concerned about programs for the homeless receiving the resources needed.

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5. Recognize that The Problem Won’t be Solved Overnight. Working with the homeless and extending kindness to help those not as fortunate can be a rewarding experience. However, it can be frustrating as well. Longstanding problems, including substance abuse, emotional issues, and criminal records are not uncommon among the homeless. But as I mentioned earlier, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to helping the homeless. Some are very appreciative of the support they receive, others not so much so. Some really want to extricate themselves from the woods and streets, while others may not be as committed. There’s not one person or one group that is going to end homelessness. It’s going to take a lot of us, each doing what we can, committed to the long haul.

So, if you encounter those in need, before passing by and thinking someone else must be taking care of the problem, recognize that this might not be the case. Take that first step, see if there is a need going unfulfilled, and see what you can do. Even if there is a dedicated person who is helping out, I know they would welcome your support.

For the last six of those years, Rich Garon served as Chief-of-Staff for the Committee on International Relations, U.S. House of Representatives. He is a member of the Serve (Outreach and Mission) Committee in Woodbridge, Virginia and he coordinates the homeless ministry, with an emphasis on those living in the woods. All proceeds from the sale of Garon’s new novel, “Lee Fitts”, released in February 2019, will go to the Bill Mehr Drop-In Center for the homeless in his local community.

Get Engaged: Be Sure And Share These Tips With Your Friends By Sharing To Social MediaPhoto by Gilbert Mercier, CC

“Life is fundamentally a matter of growing. Missing the mark is one of the ways in which we learn to hit the target. Failure is a vital part of achieving success.” – Eric Butterworth

Quote of the Day:  “Life is fundamentally a matter of growing. Missing the mark is one of the ways in which we learn to hit the target. Failure is a vital part of achieving success.” – Eric Butterworth

Photo: by Vassilis, 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?

New ‘Talking Tables’ Cafes Are Designed for People Who Want to Talk to Strangers

As a means of combatting loneliness, a major grocery chain is launching a string of new meeting places that will encourage people to talk to strangers.

20 different Sainsbury’s supermarkets across the UK are offering “Talking Tables”, a pilot program for their cafés.

The tables will serve as meeting places for people who may need human connection or conversation.

According to the supermarket, the tables will either have a sign that will identify itself as an meeting place for interested participants, or it will serve as a designated spot for charity-led community support groups and social ambassadors to host scheduled talks and activities.

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It comes as new research from Sainsbury’s latest Living Well Index, developed in partnership with leading researchers Oxford Economics and the National Centre for Social Research, reveals the UK’s sense of wellbeing has fallen in the past twelve months – with loneliness identified as a key characteristic of those with a low sense of wellbeing.

“We know from our Living Well Index that community connections are a key driver of helping people to live well. Yet with almost two thirds of us feeling lonely some of the time, it’s important that we contribute to helping to improve the lives of our customers and communities,” says Judith Batchelar, Director of the Sainsbury’s Brand.

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“We hope that by bringing people together at our Talking Tables, we can utilize the potential of our store-space to help people be better connected to the communities they live and work in,” she adds.

So jaunt over to Sainsbury’s from October through December and show whose got game.

Be Sure And Share The News With Your Own Friends On Social MediaPhoto by Sainsbury’s

World’s Oldest Barber, Still Masterfully Cutting Hair At 107, Shares Secrets For Longevity

Anthony Mancinelli may be a staggering 107 years old, but he is still working full-time as a barber – the same way that he has been doing it for the last 96 years.

Mancinelli dropped out of high school to become a full-time barber at the tender age of 11. When he turned 96, Guinness World Records named him the world’s oldest barber. Over a decade later, he is still going strong.

His secrets to longevity are simple. He has never drank or smoked very heavily. He says that he has never exercised much. He does, however, outlast many of his younger friends by standing on his feet for eight hours a day, five days per week.

He still has a full head of (white) hair along with all of his teeth; his hands are still steady on a pair of clippers; and he takes no daily medication. He also says that he only eats thin spaghetti so he doesn’t “get fat.”

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“I only go to the doctor because people tell me to, but even he can’t understand it,” Mancinelli told The New York Times. “I tell him I have no aches, no pains, no nothing. Nothing hurts me.”

Mancinelli’s customers and co-workers have constantly expressed their adoration for the centenarian, along with the tourists and celebrities who flock to the Fantastic Cuts salon in New Windsor, New York from all over the world to get a haircut from the world’s oldest barber.

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His 81-year-old son Bob told the Times: “Some of his older customers, he helps them in the chair. He’ll say to an 80-year-old guy, ‘Listen, when you get to be my age. …’ They love hearing that.”

Mancinelli says that he doesn’t plan on retiring any time soon, either – so he will continue to serve as an example of living strong in the golden years.

(WATCH the interview below) – Photo by Inside Edition

Cut Negativity Out Of Your Life: Spread The Good News By Sharing It To Social Media

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller

Quote of the Day:  “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller

Photo: by Tim Haynes, 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?

New ‘Good News’ Book Coming This December: Help Us Choose a Title! (Quick Poll)

Hey folks. Great news: We are publishing our first book to mark the 20th anniversary of Good News Network, a little edition featuring my favorite 20 stories from 20 years.

We’ve narrowed down the title options but would love to have your input.

I made a google form with multiple choices and a place for commenting. I hope you’ll choose your favorite. You can use the form directly on google, too.

When Mom Became Too Overwhelmed by Fussy Toddler at Dinner, Waitress Comes to the Rescue

This waitress’s act of kindness is a perfect example of how the smallest good deeds can have the biggest impact on people.

Courtney Ruth Pedigo has been praising her Olive Garden waitress after the woman came to her rescue during dinner last month.

Pedigo had been getting ready to enjoy a meal with her father, stepmother, and her 18-month-old daughter Harlynn when the toddler started to get fussy. When the youngster continued to spend the dinner trying to escape from her mother’s lap and causing a ruckus, Pedigo admitted to feeling pretty overwhelmed.

“She did everything but sit in her high chair and eat her dinner like I picture in my dreams,” says the exasperated mother.

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Pedigo then approached her server, Nianni Rudder, and asked if she could get her food in a to-go box so she could eat it in her car with Harlynn.

To Pedigo’s surprise, Rudder firmly said no.

“No, she’s not bothering anybody,” Rudder told Pedigo as she recalled to CBS News. “You’re going to go over there, you’re going to enjoy your dinner with your family, and I’m going to be over there in a second.”

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True to her word, Rudder returned minutes later with a bowl of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. As Pedigo finally go to dig into her meal – which she gleefully emphasized was “still hot” – the waitress spoon-fed ice cream to the toddler. She even wiped down Harlynn’s mouth and hands with a napkin whenever she made a mess.

The family chatted with Rudder throughout dinner, and they were stunned to hear that in addition to being a waitress, she was also going to school full-time to become an anesthesiologist. On top of that, she had been recovering from the recent death of her mother.

Pedigo was so moved by the woman’s compassionate and determined personality, she made a Facebook post to publicly thank her for her kindness.

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“Girl, you will never truly know how appreciative I am for tonight,” wrote Pedigo. “I seriously admire you, not only because you took the time to bribe my bratty little human with sweets so I could eat, but because you are so so strong! I know your mom is looking down from Heaven with the BIGGEST smile [because she is] so incredibly proud of the woman you are.

“I aspire to be the go-getter you are, and like I told my dad on our way home, it has to take someone with a strong heart and mind to do what you do because I know I couldn’t! Thank you for your amazing service and for being so kind to us all!”

Be Sure And Share This Inspiring Story Of Kindness With Your Friends On Social MediaPhoto by Courtney Ruth Pedigo

Pharmacist Changes State Law to Put Expensive Chemo Drugs in the Hands of the Poor and Uninsured

A pharmacist’s 3-year campaign has finally achieved its goal of allowing people to donate their expensive unused medications to individuals who can’t afford them.

Though there are programs across the country that allow hospitals and health care facilities to accept donated medications, this will be the first piece of statewide legislation that will allow individuals to donate unused medication, excluding controlled substances.

The medication must be unexpired and in its original packaging in order to be donated. For now, the program will only be accepting up to 30 different kinds of medications, most of which will be oral chemotherapy drugs and medications for transplant patients – but legislators hope to expand the program to include more medications as the program grows.

The initiative has reportedly come to fruition thanks to the efforts of Phil Baker, the founder of Good Shepherd Pharmacy. Over the course of the last three years, his nonprofit pharmacy has specialized in putting costly medications that are donated by manufacturers into the hands of low-income or uninsured people for free or dramatically reduced prices.

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“All the new chemos are coming out as pills, but they cost $30,000 and up for a one-month supply,” Baker told the Daily Memphian. “Most patients can’t afford them and half are getting thrown away.”

The charity has been serving over 2,500 poor Tennesseans from their location in Memphis by salvaging over $10 million worth of prescription drugs from ending up in the trash.

Baker’s success with the charity then spurred him to work with the Department of Health and the Board of Pharmacy to create a framework for the repository program.

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“I would have people come in with a bag of medicine and say, ‘My grandpa was on hospice. Now, I have all this medicine. Can you give it to poor people?’” Baker told the Memphian. “I looked into it and it was illegal, so I sketched out what the law should look like.”

According to the news outlet, the legislation received the stamp of approval from the Department of Health and Human Services last week. Baker says that he hopes to start distributing the donated medications by January 1st.

If you’d like to register as a prospective medication donor or join the wait list as a recipient, you can visit the program’s website.

Cure Your Friends Of Negativity By Sharing The Good News To Social MediaPhoto by Good Shepherd Pharmacy

“People often say to me, ‘Motivation is great but it doesn’t last.’ I just tell them bathing doesn’t last either, that’s why I recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

Quote of the Day:  “People often say to me, ‘Motivation is great but it doesn’t last.’ I just tell them bathing doesn’t last either, that’s why I recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

Photo: by Dave Heuts, 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?

Mystery Man Donates $131,000 So That Sick UK Boy Can Get the Rare Cancer Treatment He Needs in USA

People from around the world have been so moved to help a sick boy from the UK, an anonymous donor has just contributed thousands of dollars to get him the treatment that he needs in the United States.

For the last month, money has been pouring in for 4-year-old Zac Oliver. The youngster has been fighting an extremely rare form of leukemia that only affects about 200 people in the world.

Though he has been undergoing treatment in Telford, England, the chemotherapy sessions only guarantee him less than 25% chance of survival.

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, however, offers a specialized kind of therapy that could raise his chances of survival up to 80%.

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The cost of flying Zac and his family to the USA, as well as paying for the treatment and visas, came with a whopping price tag of $656,000 (£500,000).

The youngster’s parents, Mark Garbett and Hannah Oliver-Willets, broadcasted news of their plight across dozens of social media platforms, news outlets, and local communities – and thousands of people responded.

Over $184,000 (£140,648) was raised on Zac’s crowdfunding page, a third of which was reportedly donated by X-Factor television show host Simon Cowell. Zac’s hometown of Telford held an entire festival to raise money for his treatment. A local 13-year-old boy hoped to raise money for the cause by auctioning off an autographed football jersey – but the winning bidder was so moved by the teen’s motivation, he ended up donating the money and letting him keep the shirt.

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The family finally reached their financial goal earlier this week when a mystery donor saw an article in the Daily Mail about Zac’s journey. Though the man requested that his identity be kept anonymous, he contributed the final $131,000 necessary to fly the boy to America for his treatment.

“It was a big shock to find out somebody had come forward pledging that amount of money,” Garbett told The Daily Mail.

“It’s fantastic, we can’t thank this man enough. We have been working around the clock fundraising for the last month, but Zac’s story being reported nationally has proved crucial.”

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“Some people are just born special with a desire to help others,” Zac’s mother said of the “amazing” benefactor.

“They have given us a massive gift – the gift of life for Zac, hopefully,” she added. “But so did everybody else who helped us – the children who emptied their moneyboxes or sold their flapjacks at school cake sales.”

Once all of the donations are processed, Zac and his family will be flying to America in one month. Until then, he will be recovering from a final round of chemotherapy at the Princess Royal Hospital. His parents have added that any money leftover from the trip will be donated to help other sick children in need.

(WATCH Simon Cowell’s call to action below) – Photo by Mark Garbett

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