U.S. Military personnel returning home from combat have a hard enough time adjusting to civilian life, let alone attempting to find suitable employment. Veterans are often burdened with mental health issues or PTSD on top of that.
That’s why this nonprofit is hiring those veterans to protect endangered South African wildlife from poachers.
Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife (VETPAW) gives soldiers the chance to redeploy their military knowledge and combat expertise on behalf of elephants and rhinos. These jobs put the veterans’ skills to good use, while also providing emotionally meaningful work to save lives.
African park rangers are often shot by the poachers who are intent on killing animals for their ivory tusks or horns. With the training and assistance provided by the VETPAW soldiers, conservationists can work to defend the massive mammals, while knowing someone has their own back.
The Limpopo-based VETPAW teams manage several private land reserves around the region. According to the Guardian, their presence also offers valuable protection for the local farmers and communities that are often harmed by invading poachers.
“When I returned to civilian life after the Marine Corp, I lost myself. I didn’t really know what I was here for,” says VETPAW founder Ryan Tate. “Learning about the brutality of the poaching crisis and the rangers who are dying protecting wildlife, hit me harder than anything I’d ever seen—and I’ve seen some crazy stuff. I realized I have the skills necessary to help save animals and the people who risk their lives daily.”
“That’s when I decided to create VETPAW.”
(WATCH the video below) – Photo credit: Veterans of VETPAW, Youtube
Click To Share This Inspiring News With Your Friends
The sea cows of Australia have made a huge comeback from the dwindling numbers of six years ago.
In 2011, the dugong population of the Great Barrier Reef was estimated to be 600 without any sign of calves or newborns – the lowest it had been since the 1980s. The condition of the species, categorized as “vulnerable to extinction”, caused great alarm amongst conservationists.
Half a decade later, however, sea cows have rebounded to about 5,000 in number – 10% of which are calves, according to aerial surveys conducted off the east coast of Queensland.
This exciting comeback can be credited to the return of sea grass to the region; the main component of a sea cow’s diet. Most of the sea grass near the Great Barrier Reef was wiped out due to the effects of Cyclone Yasi.
It’s not just sea cow population increases that are cause for excitement, either – in January 2016, eleven months before the dugong surveys, manatee populations rebounded by 500%, enough to jettison them from the endangered species list.
(WATCH the video below)
Your Friends Should Sea This Story: Click To Share(Photo by Sidneiensis, CC)
Children can already be overwhelmed and bullied in the real world, but maybe the internet can offer some solace. That’s what this dad created when he built an entire Minecraft server for children with autism.
Stuart Duncan, also known by his online alias AutismDad, created Autcraft: a server that has garnered over 8,000 players since it was created four years ago.
He recalled its genesis when he wrote, “In 2012–2013, I saw parent after parent after parent posting on social media: ‘Do you have a child with autism that loves Minecraft? Would they be willing to play with my child?’”
“These parents were all reaching out because they were tired of seeing their children being bullied on the servers that they tried. Their children were breaking their keyboards, crying and feeling terrible. They felt powerless to help. So, Autcraft was my way of helping.”
Since Duncan himself has been diagnosed as autistic, he understood how vital it was for children to have safe spaces to play. Autcraft has become his day job, with all his time dedicated to maintaining the server alongside a team of volunteers. He currently asks for donations via Patreon.
“I have made it my mission to help as many children with autism as I can which means ensuring that Autcraft remains a free server for those who need it. It is my belief that those who need a safe place like Autcraft most are also the ones least likely to be able to afford a membership fee.”
“[Autcraft] gives children with autism and their families a place where they can play the game they love with people just like them, and they can feel safe and confident to just be themselves,” said Duncan. “It’s not about getting other people to accept them but getting them to accept themselves.”
One of the biggest inconveniences of owning an electric or hybrid vehicle is how long it takes to recharge the batteries. Depending on the size of the battery and the speed of the recharging station, powering up a sustainable vehicle can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours.
Now, however, thanks to the latest technology from Purdue University, recharging your battery can be as simple as filling up a gas tank.
John Cushman and a team of researchers developed the IF-battery: an instantly rechargeable battery that is safe, affordable, and environmentally friendly.
“Electric and hybrid vehicle sales are growing worldwide and the popularity of companies like Tesla is incredible, but there continues to be strong challenges for industry and consumers of electric or hybrid cars,” said Cushman, who led the research team. “The biggest challenge for the industry is to extend the life of a battery’s charge and the infrastructure needed to actually charge the vehicle. The greatest hurdle for drivers is the time commitment to keeping their cars fully charged.”
“Designing and building enough of these recharging stations requires massive infrastructure development, which means the energy distribution and storage system is being rebuilt at tremendous cost to accommodate the need for continual local battery recharge,” said Eric Nauman, co-founder of If-battery. “If-battery is developing an energy storage system that would enable drivers to fill up their electric or hybrid vehicles with fluid electrolytes to re-energize spent battery fluids much like refueling their gas tanks.”
As opposed to burning gasoline, the used battery fluids that power the battery can simply be transported to a solar or wind farm in order to be recharged.
According to the researchers, flow batteries have already existed for some time – however, the If-battery is the first power source to eliminate the use of membranes. Membrane flow batteries are notorious for causing fires, as well as having shorter life spans.
“Membrane fouling can limit the number of recharge cycles and is a known contributor to many battery fires,” Cushman said. “If-battery’s components are safe enough to be stored in a family home, are stable enough to meet major production and distribution requirements and are cost effective.”
This teacher has touched the lives of so many students, they wanted to make sure that she would be able to complete every last thing on her bucket list before cancer would claim her future.
Kay Wistrand is a language arts teacher at Tomball Junior High School in Tomball, Texas. When doctors found an uncommon tumor in her spine, Wistrand’s students were heartbroken.
As Wistrand was telling her class that she had been given two to three years to live, she mentioned in passing that she had always dreamed of going to California, seeing the redwoods, and dipping her toes in the Pacific Ocean – all of which she had never done before.
Four of her students decided to fund her bucket list journey through California and started a GoFundMe campaign with a $7,500 goal. Since it was created in February, the page has raised $10,000.
“Kay Wistrand is one of the best people I have ever had the opportunity to meet. She is an AMAZING English Language Arts teacher … And [she] is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had,” says the page’s creator Mickey Nolen. “Mrs. Wistrand has loved all of her students so much for many years. We just want to return the favor for all of the hard work she has put in to teach the youth of our community.”
Wistrand was so touched by the gesture, she announced her retirement upon realizing that she could finally journey to California – and all her students have since wished her bon voyage.
“We let nature take its course. It happens from time to time,” postal service representatives told the BBC. “Once the birds are gone, the post box resumes its duties.”
It may be a small gesture, but it’s still sweet to know that the Irish wildlife is cared for by government workers.
Mail This Story To Your Friends: Click To Share (Photo by Sally O’Dowd)
Amidst all the distressing mainstream news coverage of America’s racial relations, this church was reminded of the kindness of strangers two weeks ago.
Reverend Michael Sullivan of the Nicholtown Presbyterian Church in Greenville, South Carolina received a meaningful gift from an anonymous donor in the mail.
Enclosed with the gift was a letter reading: “I am white and used to be a terrible racist … Due to Christ’s teachings, I am appalled at my former thoughts and words. I send this donation as a heartfelt apology to the African-American community as a sign of God’s love for you, and as a sign of my love for you as well.”
Sullivan was touched by the gift – and even though the sender chose to hide their identity, he hopes that they know how much he appreciated the gesture.
“I don’t care whether we are talking black or white [or]whether we are talking about Christian or Islamic – if we can hear the heart of this man as being a heart that represents all of us, I think all of us can become better,” Sullivan told WSPA.
The donation will go towards funding youth outreach programs and the church’s upkeep.
(WATCH the video below)
Click To Share This Inspiring News With Your Friends – OR,
Due to the staggeringly low rates of crime in the Netherlands, five Dutch prisons are going to be closed by autumn.
The announcement comes not long after the Dutch government closed 19 of their prisons in 2013. Government officials addressed the closures by saying that the tiny country simply doesn’t have the capital to maintain such large, unoccupied facilities.
According to documents procured by the Telegraaf, the Zoetermeer, Heerhugowaard, Almere, Almelo, Ter Apel locations are all due to close.
Studies have indicated that the declining crime rates are because of government investments in rehabilitation programs, lighter drug laws, and the use of electronic ankle tags that allow prisoners convicted of more minor offenses to go back to work and participate in society, rather than languishing in a cell. This way, prisoners are able to be monitored without using up millions of federal tax dollars.
These measures have resulted in a staggeringly low rate of 69 incarcerations per 100,000 Dutch people, compared to the highest ranking incarceration rate of 716 per 100,000 in the United States. The only NATO countries that may have lower rates of incarceration than the Netherlands would be Denmark or Norway.
Though the prison closures will result in extensive job loss, a large percentage of the workers will be transferred to other positions within Dutch law enforcement.
Click To Share The News With Your Friends(Photo by Timothy Pearce, CC)
This sweet little mixed-breed will soon be moving across the channel to her forever home amongst the historically pampered pups of France.
So to prepare her for her new family, the shelter staff of Dogs Trust Shrewsbury have been teaching her French.
Indie the petite chienne was reportedly found as a young stray wandering the Shrewsbury streets when she was picked up by animal rescue workers and taken to the shelter.
Indie’s new owner Rosemary Jackson first spotted the canine when she was visiting her brother in the tiny nearby English village of Acton Burnell. Taken by the 2-year-old hound, she volunteered to adopt Indie.
Although Rosemary lives in Luzech, located in the southwest of France, Indie will soon be sent off to join her.
Since the shelter staff started prepping Indie for her big move, she has already learned the French commands for sit, stay, and lie down.
“There’s never a dull moment here at Dogs Trust! This is certainly one of the most unusual things we’ve ever done to help a dog adjust to their new home, but it absolutely makes sense for Indie to get to grips with the language,” said Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre Manager, Louise Campbell. “I think perhaps the staff have found it more challenging than Indie has; she is definitely picking it up easily!”
Upon hearing updates on her new companion’s vocabulary, Rosemary has been delighted by the work put it by the shelter staff.
“The team really have gone the extra mile and it’s wonderful!” says Rosemary. “I want Indie to join me and my friends at restaurants and cafes, so it will really help if she understands some French commands. She is going to have a great life!”
All we have to say is that we hope Indie says au revoir! to her dedicated friends at Dogs Trust before she leaves.
Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends
When this 16-year-old boy started having anxiety in the middle of a haircut, his mom figured he would be walking away with half a head of hair – that is, until the barber went the extra mile for her son.
Evan O’Dwyer has nonverbal autism and sensory disorders, making it very difficult for him to process sounds and commotion. His mother Deirdre usually resorts to clipping his nails and moisturizing his skin while he is asleep.
So when she first took her son Dylan to get his hair cut by Donncha O’Connell at the Baldy Barber in Blackpool, Ireland 21 years ago, she saw how good he was with kids – and Deirdre has been taking her sons to the barber ever since.
Evan usually feels at ease around Donncha, but when he went in to get a haircut on Monday, he was strangely agitated. Every time Donncha attempted to use his clippers, Evan would jump out of his chair in anxiety.
In an effort to calm her son down, Deirdre took him back to his “safe place” – also known as her minivan.
Though it would have seemed that the haircut was over, Donncha offered to finish the trim inside the car. With the help of Evan’s brother, the two were able to finish the cut in the back seat of the van.
“It’s great when you have a brilliant barber and who totally understand autism and who will go to any lengths to make your child feel comfortable,” wrote Deirdre. “Fair play Donncha always making Evan feel at ease”
Pass On The Positivity: Click To Share (Photo by Deirdre O’Dwyer)
This small village in Indonesia has gone from slum to stardom.
Kampung Pelangi, a hamlet consisting of about 325 homes, was previously described by its residents as a “filthy” neighborhood. Because of the debilitated condition of the area, their local economy suffered.
Then, in an effort to attract tourists, a local teacher named Slamet Widodo suggested that they give the village a colorful makeover.
The project came with a $200,000 price tag that was paid for through donations and corporate sponsorship. After one month of hard work, however, 240 houses have already been painted with bright rainbow patterns.
The village’s cheerful design has attracted tourists from all over the region, giving local businesses a much-needed boost. Because of the influx of visitors, the community has become an Instagram hit.
Kampung Pelangi’s rebirth is not unlike the city of Palmitas in Mexico – when the Mexican government hired a team of graffiti artists to give the village a new paint job, they covered every building in rainbow paint and designs. As a result, crime rates plummeted and village residents were reported to be more cheerful and confident.
It’s a wonder what a lick of paint can do.
(WATCH the video below)
Click To Share This Colorful Story With Your Friends
Carolina Williams is telling her fellow college applicants that they shouldn’t be afraid to take risks.
This is evidenced by how she was accepted to Yale University after writing a 200-word essay on how much she loves pizza.
“When the delivery person rings my doorbell, I instantly morph into one of Pavlov’s dogs, salivating to the sound that signals the arrival of the cheesy, circular glory,” writes Carolina.
“It smells like celebration, as I love to rejoice in a happy occasion by calling Papa John’s for my favorite food. It tastes like comfort, since having pizza delivered to my quiet home is a way for me to unwind. It looks like self-sufficiency because when I was younger, ordering pizza made me feel grown-up, and it still provides that satisfaction for my child at heart.”
The prospective student goes on to finish the poetic epithet by saying: “Accepting those warm cardboard boxes at my front door is second nature to me, but I will always love ordering pizza because of the way eight slices of something so ordinary are able to evoke feelings of independence, consolation and joy.”
The Yale admissions officer who read her essay was so tickled by the subject choice, he responded by saying: “As a fellow lover of pizza, I laughed out loud (then ordered pizza) after reading your application.”
Carolina was also noticed by none other than the king of pizza himself: Papa John.
The pie delivery chain sent her a tweet saying: “CONGRATS, CAROLINA!! We’re so honored that you wrote about us in your essay!”
In addition to the romantic verse on Italian food, the Ravenwood High School student of Brentwood, Tennessee carries a sparkling educational resume, featuring a high GPA, several volunteering positions, and a position on the National Honors Society.
Though the teen celebrated her acceptance by ordering pizza while dressed in a brand new Yale University tee shirt, Carolina instead chose to attend Auburn University for their business program.
I just want @PapaJohns to know that I wrote a college essay about how much I love to order their pizza and it got me into Yale ???????? pic.twitter.com/lDlzEErHCn
This 17-year-old trumpet player may have never been able to pursue his passion if it weren’t for the kindness of an American musician living thousands of miles away from him.
Ahmed “Baset” Azizi grew up in Afghanistan, living in constant fear of the Taliban finding out about his love of music. He spent his childhood hiding under desks while his city was bombed, witnessing atrocities that most children should never have to witness.
When he wanted to formally study music, his father sent him to the Afghanistan National Institute of Music in Kabul. Unfortunately, Baset’s trumpet teacher soon left the school, leaving the youth without an instructor. He then turned to YouTube videos.
“I could not play in the house because playing some Western musical instruments is forbidden by the Taliban and other people,” says Baset. “If a neighbor heard my playing and reported it to those groups, my family and myself were in danger: first because I was playing music and also because my dad works for the Army.”
Baset persisted with his learning until he came across a clip of David Bilger, Principal Trumpet of The Philadelphia Orchestra – and he was mesmerized by the sound the American was able to make.
Baset then sent a message to Bilger over Facebook with a special request.
“Baset introduced himself as ‘the best trumpeter in Afghanistan – because there are only 2!’” Bilger told Good News Network. “Once I learned a bit about his early musical experiences at the Afghan National Institute of Music, and the fact that he was now without a teacher, I offered to give him some advice and coaching over the Internet.”
For several months, the two musicians would connect at 11PM EST every week for one hour of coaching – despite there being an 8.5 hour time difference. Eventually, the Afghani teen expressed his wish to study at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan – and Bilger was more than happy to make that wish come true.
Bilger – along with the help of Robin Korevaar, a Texas clarinetist who Baset met during his school term in Kabul – started working on how they would bring their young prodigy to the United States. While Baset trained for the school’s audition with the hope that he would receive an academic scholarship, the two American musicians began a crowdfunding page to raise the money for travel expenses, food, and lodging.
Then, after four months of tireless work, Baset was accepted to Interlochen on full scholarship for one year. Additionally, $30,000 was donated to the crowdfunding page, covering all of his expenses.
Since he started studying at Interlochen in the fall, Baset says that he has not taken his education for granted.
“Playing the trumpet is not just a casual activity for me,” says Baset. “My family has sacrificed and I have lived in fear while in Afghanistan so that I could play. And I am totally committed to becoming the best musician I can be.”
Since Baset was recently accepted into the University of Kansas’s music program on a full-ride four year scholarship, Robin and Bilger – with the help of Baset’s current teacher and “Interlochen mom”, Leann Burger– have since set up a second crowdfunding page to pay for their student’s living arrangements. The page only requires $5,000 more to fulfill their $65,000 goal.
“Baset is a wonderful young man,” Bilger told Good News Network. “He has an amazing work ethic, especially for everything trumpet. And he has expressed to me his desire to make the most of the opportunities that are now available to him through the generosity of so many people. The miraculous reality of his current situation is not lost on him.”
In recognition of their compassionate efforts, Burger, Bilger, and Korevaar have all been named GoFundMe heroes of the month.
(WATCH the video below)
Multiply The Good: Click To Share With Your Friends (Photo by Beth Price Photography)
Thanks to the online efforts of Islamic groups, over 10,000 people have stepped up to assist in the aftermath of the Portland, Oregon attacks last week.
Three men are being honored as heroes after they defended two teenage Muslim girls on Portland public transportation when a crazed nationalist started yelling racial slurs. The three onlookers intervened, causing the passenger to start wielding a knife, killing two of the men and injuring another.
In honor of the men’s compassion, the Muslim Education Trust and CelebrateMercy created a LaunchGood crowdfunding page to – at the very least – pay for the funeral costs of Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche and Ricky John Best. The funds would also assist in paying for the hospital bills of the surviving hero: Micah David-Cole Fletcher.
When the groups started the campaign, however, the link was shared widely on social media, garnering $1,000 in donations every five minutes.
The campaign reached its original goal of $60,000 in just five hours. As the donations continued to pour in, the goals were set higher and higher: from covering the funeral costs, to paying for Micah’s hospital bills, to starting a college fund for Best’s four children, to creating an inclusionary scholarship that will provide educations for future generations.
As of today, the page has raised $530,000 in just five days.
“Although this campaign is organized by Muslims, we welcome people of all faiths to contribute,” wrote the campaign’s creator Wajdi Said. “No amount of money will bring back the victims, but we do hope to lessen their family’s burdens in some way and also show our heartfelt appreciation for their heroic acts against Islamophobia. Let’s all stand together against hate.”
Click To Share The Inspiring News With Your Friends (Photo by Wajdi Said)
These good Samaritans didn’t waste time in rescuing an unconscious police officer whose car had fallen 30 feet below the road into a creek.
The officer – whose name has not been released – was on his way to a burglary call in Dallas, Texas when he was sideswiped off of the road by another car.
Though the drivers immediately took off after the accident, over a dozen bystanders rushed to the fallen cruiser.
Rescuers say that the officer was found unconscious with several gashes across his forehead. Since he was immediately rushed to the hospital, however, he is currently in stable condition.
(WATCH the video below)
Click To Share The News With Your Friends – Photo by Rebecca Lopez
Due to an increasing amount of New York subway delays, this poor grad student missed his official commencement ceremony.
Because he missed such an important event, however, his fellow stranded New Yorkers hosted a makeshift graduation ceremony on the crowded subway car.
Jerich Marco Alcantara and his family were taking the E train to Hunter College’s Brookdale on Tuesday morning when the car came to a halt. Though Alcantara was set to arrive at 9:15AM, the train continued to languish for another three hours without moving.
When the nursing student noticed that the other passengers were looking surly due to the delay, he “thanked them for coming out” in a joking manner. Everyone laughed and began to clap.
One passenger pulled up a diploma on his phone, which he then presented to Alcantara while another passenger blasted the nostalgic tune of “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day on their phone.
As the crowd clapped and wooed, Alcantara gleefully shouted: “If you want a copy of my diploma, turn on your AirDrop!”
Alcantara and his family rushed their way to the ceremony only to find that it had, in fact, already ended. But he was treated to another makeshift commencement by his friends.
(WATCH the video below)
Click To Share The Good Grad News With Your Friends
The 30-year-old student knew that she wanted her final portfolio project to somehow be canine-related; so, she hit the craft store, spent $200 on colored feathers, glitter, and rhinestones, and she got to work.
For her photography final, Erin redesigned “cones of shame” that dogs wear after they’ve undergone surgery into “cones of fame”. She figured that by transforming those sad, plastic shapes into fun and fancy crowns, it would make dogs feel less ashamed.
Additionally, since dogs are made to wear the cones after they have been spayed or neutered, Erin believed that the cones would raise awareness about the importance of getting dogs fixed.
And it makes them more likely to get adopted when they look so cute and colorful.
“I wanted to empower the dogs, instead of shame them, while shedding light on the importance of spaying/neutering your pet,” Erin told the Good News Network. “Spaying and neutering your pet is a positive thing!
“I also wanted to use my creativity to help dogs find homes,” she added.
Thus far, all of the pups that Erin photographed at the One Tail At A Time animal shelter have been adopted and given forever homes.
The student is going to be continuing her work by hosting an art show featuring the photographs in June. All proceeds will go towards the animal shelter where she volunteers.
As for how the project did in school, Erin seems pretty confident that she did okay.
“The classes at the school of the art institute of Chicago are pass/fail,” she told Good News Network with an online smile. “I definitely passed.”
Click To Share This Pawesome Story With Your Friends (Photos by Erin Einbender)
Most people don’t necessarily enjoy mowing the lawn – but Rodney Smith Jr. has made it his calling.
The Greensville, Alabama student is spending his summer cutting 50 lawns in 50 states in order to inspire others to do the same.
All the lawns that Rodney mows are owned by elderly or disabled homeowners, single moms, and military personnel – and he mows them all for free.
The Bermudan native first got the idea when he saw an elderly man struggling to cut his grass. Rodney figured that since he was young and able-bodied, he had a responsibility to step up and help take care of his community.
After mowing over 100 lawns in his region, Rodney started the Raising Men Lawn Care Service. For every ten lawns that are mowed by participating young men, they earn a differently colored tee shirt – much like the karate belt system. Participants are then given a sense of accomplishment for assisting those in need.
Rodney is currently on his 22nd stop in Elgin, Illinois, while his “50-yard challenge” has already been accepted by several other volunteers.
Once Rodney finishes with his lawn care road trip, he reportedly plans on going back to school in order to get his master’s degree in social work.
Sharing is caring – and judging by what this teacher is sharing, she cares a lot.
Nancy Bleuer is a preschool teacher at Washington Charlie Brown Preschool and Childcare in Mason City, Iowa who will go to any and all lengths to ensure the wellbeing of her students.
So when she heard that the father of one of her 4-year-old students had been diagnosed with renal kidney failure, she leapt at the chance to donate her own.
Darreld Petersen, father of Camden, went on dialysis after his diagnoses in January. He managed to find a match after being put on the donor list, but the donor flaked on the transplant, leaving Darreld on yet another search for a kidney match.
Upon hearing the news from Camden, Bleuer filled out the necessary paperwork and found that she was a match. The two have been scheduled to undergo transplant surgery next month.
“It’s just amazing,” Petersen told ABC News. “There are people waiting every day for a kidney, for an organ in general. I wish there were more people like her. She’s giving me a second chance at life.”
“She’s an amazing lady and from day one she was gungho.”
Beloved singer and songwriter John Legend has just helped to ensure that Seattle students won’t go hungry while at school.
His quiet contribution of $5,000 towards a GoFundMe page raising money to pay off student lunch debt in the Seattle Public Schools district is being hailed as a grand gesture of compassion throughout Washington state.
The crowdfunding campaign, which was originally started by John Lew, was created with a goal of $20,000 – enough to pay off any and all lunch debt wracked up by families who can’t afford to pay for their children’s lunches.
So when Lew saw that someone had contributed a quarter of the goal in one donation over the weekend, he was blown away. The $5,000 had come from a donor named John Stephens.
After doing some quick Google sleuthing in an effort to thank the donor, he found that John Stephens was the birth name of rock and roll musician John Legend.
Lew then composed a thank you note with a quick addendum before his signature saying: “By the way, are you also known as John Legend? Regardless of who you are or not, thank you. You’ve helped a lot.”
Legend soon responded with “Yes, it’s me.”
Lew then took to Twitter to publicly thank the singer, to which the Grammy-award winning musician replied: “My pleasure! We should have free lunch for all of our public students!”
Since the story has gotten such widespread media attention, the crowdfunding page has now raised $41,000. All the additional funds will go towards paying nutritious student meals in the future.
In Seattle, students who wrack up over $15 in lunch debt are reportedly given modified lunches consisting of less nutritious components, such as dry white bread with cold cheese. This policy has been called an act of “lunch shaming”.
Lunch shaming is considered the practice of shaming or humiliating school children who are behind on their meal fees. Examples of this practice have surfaced around the country; one boy in Alabama was reportedly sent home with a stamp on his arm reading: “I need lunch money”. Lunch ladies have been forced to throw out students’ hot meals because they didn’t have enough funds on their student accounts. Other schools have made children wipe down tables and wash dishes as payment for their meals.
Though there has been no talk of higher-level action protecting children from this kind of treatment, New Mexico is reportedly on its way to becoming the first state to pass legislation prohibiting lunch shaming.
In the mean time, however, Lew has started additional crowdfunding campaigns for the Tacoma and Renton school districts as well. Tacoma has already raised $20,000 of its $30,000 goal, while the Renton campaign has reached about half of its attempted $18,000.
Click To Share The News With Your Friends(Photo by Benny Chandra, CC)
