For the past nine months, the two have had a standing date to make the rounds together, delivering the mail and chatting up neighbors near Knoxville, Tennessee, while Carter asks lots and lots of questions.
“Every letter carrier has stops he looks forward to and this is the one I look forward to every day,” Mailman Mike told WBIR News. “He’s the the best part of my day. Not just because it’s at the end, because he’s such a cute little guy.”
(WATCH the video below or READ the story from WBIR-TV *NOTE auto-playing page, so adjust your speakers) Photo: WBIR video
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That’s a lot of clogged drains — a Canadian plumber has donated $25 million dollars to a British Columbia hospital.
The 82-year-old started out as an apprentice for Vancouver-based Keith Plumbing and Heating Company in 1954. Sixteen years later, he owned the business and today has 200 people working for him.
“I’m just a plumber who worked hard and had some good luck in my life,” said Paul Myers.
Adopting any rescue dog is a commitment, but taking in a deaf dog is a very special, and sometimes intensive, labor of love that thousands of people choose to take on each year.
One of those people is Christina Lee, who, in addition to adopting her own deaf dogs, runs a Virginia-based nonprofit called Deaf Dogs Rock dedicated to listing deaf dogs available for adoption all over the United States. Since 2011, she’s helped rescue over 1,400 of them.
In 2014 alone, the couple sponsored 45 deaf dogs in collaboration with other rescues who advocate for deaf dogs.
Along with her husband—whose name is also named Chris—Lee runs the site full-time, offering resources and financial aid to prospective parents who have big hearts and big hopes for a special needs dog to call their own.
After adopting her own deaf dog, Nitro, she realized that if more deaf dogs are to be adopted, prospective puppy parents are going to need some more guidance.
“We stayed up until 1:00am reading and watching videos on deaf dog training, because we both wanted to be fully prepared for what would be the best way to train our new special needs puppy,” she said.
“What we discovered in doing research about deaf dogs is that there is not a whole lot of resources out there for new owners of deaf dogs.”
Though she doesn’t take a salary, Lee treats this as her full time job, transporting deaf dogs into rescue, pay medical bills for deaf dogs and pups, and in some special cases, help pay for training classes for new deaf dog owners.
“When a deaf dog is off leash, you can’t just call the dog back like a regular hearing dog,” she said. “We try to promote deaf dog training on our website so new deaf dog owners can see it isn’t that much different, training a deaf dog verses a hearing dog.”
Instead of verbal commands, visual commands are used—that’s right, dogs can be trained to recognize a thumbs-up.
When she started getting emails from shelters across the U.S., Christina and Chris began to help transport the deaf dogs into no-kill shelters and foster homes. During the winter, she and Chris conduct shelter outreach, helping out local shelters with dog food and coats to keep them warm.
Deaf Dogs Rock also provides a welcoming Facebook Community where deaf dog owners can go to help each other. And, this year, the site has a new section called List A Deaf Dog, which allows people to directly submit dogs who need good homes.
“The bond deaf dogs develop with their family members is a very strong bond, and owning a deaf dog makes us better dog parents,” Lee said. “Deaf Dogs Rock is because they hear with their hearts.”
Destruction of the Brazilian Rainforest is an all too common headline in world news. That’s why stories like the Reserva Ecológico de Guapiaçu (REGUA) are such a welcome relief–for humans and hundreds of other species.
Nicholas Locke is a landowner who decided to turn his family’s pasture land into a forest. And in just 8 years, they have turned it into a Garden of Eden, full of birds, reptiles, mammals and insects–and only 2 hours from Rio de Janeiro.
“We want to try and dispel the gloom and doom about the destruction of tropical rainforests,” said Locke. “It’s not all destruction and it can be corrected.”
Yesterday was ‘National Thank a Police Officer Day’ and communities in the United States went out of their way to show appreciation for law enforcement.
One little boy who did that very well last week, didn’t even know about the national day that was created in 2012 by a Chicago-based law firm to help cast police in a more positive light.
The child in Weston, Florida was determined to buy–what else–Dunkin’ Donuts for one sheriff’s deputy as soon as he saw him enter the restaurant.
“Shocked and flattered, I declined,” wrote Deputy Donnie Jackson on Facebook. “His parents insisted saying, when you walked into the door, he insisted on buying your breakfast because he appreciates the thankless job you do!“
The cop later posted on the Broward Sheriff’s Office Facebook page the selfie he took with the boy on his motorcycle.
People have been cheering for a contestant who lost in the Miss America beauty pageant, because during the talent competition instead of showcasing her musical or dancing skills, she showed off her compassion as a nurse.
On the event stage in Atlantic City last Sunday, instead of looking like a typical beauty queen in sequins and pearls, Kelley Johnson walked out on stage in her blue nurse’s scrubs.
Delivering a monologue about her experiences with an Alzheimer’s patient, Miss Colorado may not have won the Miss America crown, but she won the hearts of many with her unexpected, original definition of ‘talent’.
When I was morbidly obese, I once accepted a challenge from my brother to eat 5 bowls of Cocoa Krispies cereal in one sitting. As a cereal addict who also happens to love chocolate, victory was sweet. However, I never touch Cocoa Krispies today. It’s not because I stopped eating cereal.
I now know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and you shouldn’t be filling it with sugar.
If you don’t know how to figure out which cereals are “healthy” for you, use these guidelines to pick the most nutritious ones on your grocer’s shelves.
Choose One With the Least Amount of Sugar
The best policy is to eat a cereal that has no added sugar. Examples include, Original Shredded Wheat or All Bran. Add some fruit to make it sweeter.
If you must have some sugar, be sure to choose those with as few grams as possible–8 grams at the very most.
Fill Up on Fiber
Photo by Jonathan Lin, CC
The average American gets less than 15 grams of fiber every day. The recommended amount is 25 grams or more! Eating a high fiber, whole grain cereal can prevent you from craving sugary snacks in the afternoon, and helps with digestion. Fiber also helps to regulate blood sugar levels. Choose Kellogg’s Grape-nuts or Trader Joe’s High Fiber O’s.
Look For Real Food
Many cereals have added ingredients, like protein, that could upset your stomach. If you are having your cereal with milk, you don’t need any added protein anyway. If you can’t pronounce it, or recognize it, choose a different option. (But remember some of those ingredients might be vitamin supplements.) Also, sugar goes by a variety of names, many ending in “tol.” Select Cheerios (only the original, plain Cheerios), Puffed Rice, or cereals with 5 ingredients or less.
Granola is packed with sugars and fruit, so it is not the healthiest option. Cut down on the sugar rush by mixing a smaller amount of granola with full fat Greek yogurt. Better yet, get a similar crunch (without the calories) by mixing chia, flax, or unsweetened coconut chips into your yogurt instead.
Be Careful With–or Without–Gluten
A gluten-free diet does NOT mean a healthy diet. It simply means you have to avoid gluten, which is a protein found in wheat products. If you have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant, then you need to avoid most high-fiber cereals, which often have wheat or bran.
By rpavich, CC
Gluten-free diets often get their main source of fiber and nutrients from vegetables and fruits instead of cereal. Even cereals like Quaker Oats Crunchy Corn Bran is not certified gluten-free. Some cereals, like Barbara’s Puffins, do have some high fiber options which are also gluten-free.
While gluten-free cereals can be an easy grab-and-go option, these 6 easy grab-and-go breakfasts are overall healthier than just a low fiber grain with milk. The reason is because they incorporate fiber and protein from vegetables, fruits or nuts.
In general, increasing your fiber intake is a healthy choice to make, especially if you struggle to eat the daily recommended fruits and vegetables and want to lose weight. I once lost 100 pounds by increasing my fiber intake as part of a healthy eating program, most of which came from switching my white grains to whole grains. After I started eating more whole grains, I then focused on increasing my vegetables, until I found a healthy balance of both to round out my day and increase my energy.
Jennifer Espinosa-Goswami is a health coach and motivational speaker who escaped morbid obesity over 14 years ago. A member of the National Weight Control Registry, and Move It Monday Ambassador, she loves dancing in her living room and eating bean burritos.
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The message from Farm Aid 30 and the musicians who organized the event in Chicago today is clear: Every action each one of us takes makes a difference for family farmers.
Farm Aid’s sold-out 30th anniversary festival is celebrating the progress that has been made for family farmers since 1985 and the importance of the local food movement.
That year, Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews hosted the first Farm Aid concert with the goal of keeping family farmers on the land. Farm Aid is the longest running concert for a cause in America, raising $48 million to help family farmers thrive.
“When we started Farm Aid, a crisis was gripping farm country,” said Nelson, president and founder of Farm Aid. “Farm Aid called on America to stand up for family farmers. They showed up then, and they’re still showing up. All different types of people are coming together for family farmers, and we’re making a difference.”
The day-long festival kicked off with farmers, farm advocates and eaters joining Farm Aid board members Nelson, Mellencamp Young and Matthews in a conversation from the Farm Aid stage about the roots of the family farm movement and the future of family farm agriculture. The conversation, moderated by WBEZ radio’s food and agriculture correspondent, Monica Eng, focused on the many actions people have taken in fields, kitchens and communities since 1985 and how those actions have added up to make a huge difference for family farmers and the food system.
With Farm Aid’s leadership, the rise of farmers markets, sustainable food companies, and demand for organics and local food, family farmers have more economic opportunities than ever before.
Along with all the board members performing their own musical sets, other musicians performing today include Jack Johnson, Mavis Staples, and Imagine Dragons. The concert streamed live all day and into the evening Saturday at www.farmaid.org.
The 26,000 concert-goers also enjoyed Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Concessions, featuring food that is sustainably produced by local family farmers, and a HOMEGROWN Village, which featured hands-on activities with farmers, including cheese making, beekeeping, making seed balls, and composting, that emphasized the experience of agriculture.
“The legacy of Farm Aid is twofold: in the change we’ve made in our farm and food system, and in the rich musical record of concerts held since 1985,” said Mellencamp. “The list of artists who have played on the Farm Aid stage is a who’s who of the best artists of our time.”
While many young children look up to their favorite wrestlers and WWE superstars, the bravery shown by kids in tough situations may also inspire those very heroes. That is exactly the case with 11-year-old Ethan Reno.
The boy and his mother came home one day to find a burglar in their bathroom. While his mother did her best to subdue and chase the burglar away, Ethan found the courage to dial 911, allowing authorities to come and arrest the intruder.
On the Meredith Vieira Show, the young boy was met with a huge surprise. He was expecting a gift basket but that wasn’t the big surprise, the big surprise was the man who was delivering the gift basket.
Concerted efforts across Africa have prevented nearly 700 million cases of malaria on the continent in the past 15 years.
Of those, the World Health Organization and children’s charity UNICEF say more than six million people would have died from the disease, which translates to a 60% reduction in mortality.
The UN report credits bed nets, like those pictured above, for the success. The nets keep mosquitoes, which carry the disease, away from people as they sleep.
The UN report, published in the journal Nature, says 13 countries that reported malaria cases in 2000 were completely free of the disease by 2014, and six countries once plagued by it reported fewer than 10 cases each.
“Global malaria control is one of the great public health success stories of the past 15 years,” World Health Organization Director General Dr. Margaret Chan said.
A 12-year-old boy who didn’t have anything to read just a few months ago has donated 3,500 books to his local library in Sandy, Utah.
Matthew Flores came into a wealth of reading material after he asked his mailman if he had any extra “junk mail” because he couldn’t afford books at home. Postman Ron Lynch put out a request for donated books and they’ve been arriving from around the world ever since.
The boy and his family have run out of room for them all and Matthew decided to “share the wealth” by giving the books to the public library.
But they won’t all end up in just one collection. The local librarian is bundling them up and sending boxes of books to hospitals, jails, and anywhere else people need a good read.
Matthew isn’t just sharing the wealth, he’s spreading the love of reading.
(WATCH the KSL News Video) Photo: KSL video — Story tip from Rae Hunt
After a seven-year hiatus, an artist became inspired to pick up a paintbrush again, hoping that his vibrant canvases could fund new lives for the homeless.
Moved by a Christian book into taking action in his community, Brian Peterson decided to reach out and befriend local homeless citizens and learn about their stories, dreams, and struggles.
Since he started his nonprofit, Faces Of Santa Ana, Brian has painted portraits of Californians living in poverty so he can sell the pieces and use the money to support their housing.
Brian has created three paintings of his homeless friends – Matt, Shannon, and Darryl – who have all signed their portraits, two of which have sold for $1,500 a piece in Orange County’s downtown galleries.
Brian gives two thirds of the proceeds to the housing advocacy group, Home Aid, so they can work towards getting his friends in poverty off the streets for good.
After Matt’s portrait sold this week, Faces Of Santa Ana posted on Instagram about the impact it has made.
“Today, Matt’s life changes. Matt’s painting sold last night and we can begin the journey into his recovery. I’m so grateful and humbled by the people in this world willing to purchase a piece and join us on this journey. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are now a blessing to someone else’s life.”
Brian is currently back at the drawing board, ready to produce more pieces to benefit the community and also create a “call for artists” to help with the project.
His vision of bridging the understanding gap will soon expand to encompass the buyers, subjects, and artists during a February gallery opening featuring more paintings and a meet-and-greet between the art patrons and the homeless people their purchases support.
“I think about scaling this model all the time,” Brian told the Good News Network. “Southern California has a rich population of local artists that can bring unique styles and perspectives to the Faces of Santa Ana model. I’d love to take them out in the field with me to learn the stories, hopes, and dreams of these [homeless] people that they will meet and soon paint.”
A loyal setter stayed by her best friend’s side for a whole week, after the smaller dog fell into a cistern in Washington state.
After the dogs escaped from their home during a party September 7th, they wandered into the woods and Phoebe fell into a small, concrete reservoir. The hole was only a couple of feet deep, but Phoebe, being a basset hound, was just too short to climb out.
Tillie, the setter, stood guard beside her friend, venturing down the hill every so often to try and lure humans back to help. Someone finally recognized Tillie from the photo posted by Vashon Island Pet Protectors (VIPP), an animal rescue group, on its Facebook page.
Amy Carey with VIPP told ABC News, Tillie was “channelling her inner Lassie.” She found the setter, resting her head on the side of the cistern, keeping an eye on her little buddy.
Both dogs were cold and hungry, but are now doing well.
The last landmine in Mozambique has been destroyed.
Once the most heavily mined country in the world, the last known explosive was removed this week from the base of a railroad bridge in the center of the country. It becomes the first such contaminated nation to be declared “Mine Free.”
Charities worked with Mozambique’s government for 22 years to clear the country, removing more than 171,000 landmines, and opened up more than 4,200 acres of land (1700 ha) for safe passage.
HALO trust, the UK charity made famous by Princess Diana, destroyed roughly 80% of the mines in the country. They employed 1,600 local people and used specially built machines in their 22-year successful effort to eradicate the deadly snares.
A Belgian charity, Apopo, used trained rats to sniff out landmines in parts of the country. The African giant pouched rats (pictured left) can smell explosives through the ground, but don’t weigh enough to set them off.
The decades-long effort to demine the country has opened up roads, bridges, and farmland. It’s also allowed the nation to develop its natural resources like gas, oil, and coal and expand its tourism industry.
With the success of the clearing effort, the country’s GDP is now expanding by 7 percent per year, making Mozambique one of the world’s fastest growing economies.
Three months ago, Donald Gould was living on the streets. This week, he performed America’s national anthem before 70,000 people at the NFL Monday Night Football game.
Gould rocketed to fame over the summer when he sat down at a piano on a Sarasota, Florida sidewalk and started playing – magnificently. A video of the bearded, homeless musician tallied nearly six million views on Facebook. Within days of its posting, a restaurant offered him a paying gig and he reconnected with the son he hadn’t seen in years.
Gould (pictured, left) entered rehab, turned his life around and celebrated 80 days sober this week.
The San Francisco 49ers invited the former U.S. Marine to perform the Star Spangled Banner at their game against the Minnesota Vikings, and flew him, his life coach, Jacqueline Bevan (pictured, center), and bandmate Paul Lonardo (right) to California.
“This is surreal!” Gould wrote on his band’s Facebook page. “We are feeling so blessed!!”
“Never in my wildest dreams,” Gould told WTVT News. “Three months ago, if someone on the street came up to me and said, ‘you’re going to play the National Anthem for the 49ers,’ I’d say you’re crazy.”
He has been documenting his amazing last few months on the Facebook page shared by he and bandmate.
(WATCH the WTVT News video) Photos: Jacqueline Bevan, FB – Story tip from Jim Kelly
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After spending 1,700 hours analyzing different pairs of birds, researchers found that the ones who got to live with their chosen mates—the “lovebirds,” if you will—were a lot happier than the ones that were forced into “incompatible” pairs.
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Munich, Germany set up a “speed dating” session for 20 male and 20 female zebra finches, allowing half of the naturally-selected pairs to live ‘happily ever after’ and breaking up the other half into “arranged marriages” with mates they hadn’t chosen.
The ones who got to choose their mates had a 37% higher birth rate than the birds who didn’t get to choose, while the birds in arranged pairings laid three times as many unfertilized eggs. They also weren’t very good at parenting.
The scientists found males in both situations were equally willing to court their mates, but females in the forced pairings were far less receptive to their advances, refusing to simply “love the one you’re with.” The males in the non-choice pairings also strayed and had affairs with other birds — which only tended to upset their mates even more.
Writing in the journal PLOS Biology, Wolfgang Forstmeier, one of the study’s authors, concluded that the freedom to find a compatible mate is important “in order to motivate each other and to coordinate and share the various tasks.”
Indian food may seem elaborate to make, intimidating to eat, and overall, too exotic.
But there are good reasons to get past all that: multiple studies have shown that ingredients like curry and turmeric have multiple health benefits because they contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. The powerful one-two punch helps with digestion and may even aid in the prevention of certain illnesses.
These and other spices found in Indian cooking have proven in studies to be a nutritional way to treat or prevent some cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune problems, and even neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.
If you don’t know any quality Indian restaurants, fear not. Turmeric and curry can be found at most grocery stores and you can literally just add a few shakes of these spices to the dishes you normally prepare–especially turmeric, which adds very little perceptible flavor.
For those feeling adventurous, take a crack at the recipes below. These dishes are just as easy to make as any other meal you might whip up–but will make you look like an international chef de cuisine.
4 tablespoons shredded/desiccated coconut (can be found in baking section)
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon ground cumin & coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
Instructions:
Dice the eggplant into ½ inch pieces
Peel and dice the sweet potato into ½ inch pieces
Cut the cauliflower florets into 1 inch pieces
Peel and chop the garlic as finely as possible
Peel and chop the ginger as finely as possible
Have all ingredients ready at hand to pour
Heat the oil in the pan so it’s hot, then with the lid in your hand add the mustard seeds and cover quickly, let it pop for about 30 seconds
Put the heat on low for 1 minute and carefully open the lid and add the crushed canned tomatoes, garlic, ginger, coconut, salt, water, ground cumin & coriander, turmeric powder and chili powder. Stir it well and then add the sweet potato, cauliflower and eggplant and stir again
Simmer on a low to medium heat for 30 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally
Serve. We suggest accompanying with rice, quinoa or cous cous, or non gluten free options such as naan or pita bread.
WATCH the video below to see her do it!
Pork Koftas with Jalfrezi
Prep time 10 minutes, cooking time 10-12 minutes, serves 2-3
1 tablespoon or a thumb size knob of ginger, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small chili pepper, minced
1 small aubergine (eggplant), cubed
6 tomatoes, diced
1 cup hericot-verts or small green beans
1 medium sweet potato, cubed
1 cup reduced fat coconut milk
6 coriander seeds
1 tablespoon garam masala (a blend of ground spices common in India containing peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon or cassia bark, nutmeg and mace, cardamom, bay leaf and cumin)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon curry
1/4 teaspoon mustard
kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
Put the eggplant in a strainer and toss with salt. Let sit while you
start cooking the other ingredients.
Saute the onion, pepper and ginger in olive oil for about 3-4
minutes. Season with a pinch of everything. Add in the garlic and cook for
a minute at most. Toss in the potatoes and saute for another minute or so
with a pinch of the spices. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for about
10 minutes.
Toss in the eggplant and tomatoes, adjust seasoning, simmer for 7
minutes.
Finally, throw in the green beans and the rest of the seasoning and
let simmer for another 7-10 minutes.
Serve over some basmati rice or naan bread and garnish with cilantro
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Vegetable Kofta:
Recipe From Darshi Shah, upcoming author of R.I.G.H.T. Diet for Autoimmunity
Ingredients
4 large tomatoes, skinned & pureed
2 cups water for gravy
¼ head cauliflower
1 large Russet potato, quartered
2 small carrots
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
¼ cup total of mix of Corn meal and rice flour for coating
1 clove garlic, minced
1-inch piece ginger, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons of coriander leaves, finely sliced
1 ½ Tablespoons oil
½ teaspoon salt (to taste – for gravy)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
¼ teaspoon clove powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon salt (to taste – for koftas)
Several grinds of black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meanwhile wash and place the potato, cauliflower and peeled carrots in a baking pan. Cook for 30 minutes.
After cooking, the vegetables are cooled and grated into a mixing bowl.
Add ¼ teaspoon salt to the mixture.
Form into 18 small balls (koftas) and roll into plate filled with cornmeal and rice flour to coat.
Deep fry the balls (medium heat) until golden brown and crisp. Keep aside on paper towels.
Heat oil in a nonstick wok/pan.
Add and sauté onions until golden brown.
Lower heat and add ginger, garlic, and powder of clove, cinnamon, turmeric. Stir.
Cook through and mix the spices evenly. (2 minutes)
Add tomato puree and simmer on low until well cooked.
Add 2 cups water, salt, pepper, and chili powder and increase the heat to high.
NOTE: partially cover the sauce. Be careful about splashing of hot tomato gravy
Once a boil has been reached, turn off the heat.
When serving, add the koftas to the hot gravy and garnish with coriander leaves.
Heat the oil in the pan so it’s hot then add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and garlic. Let it sizzle for 30 seconds with the lid on.
Put the heat on low for 1 minute then carefully take the lid off and add the onions, cashew nuts, corn and raisins, stir and simmer for 5 minutes
Now add the cooked rice, chili powder, turmeric powder, water, salt and ¾ handful of cilantro. Stir and let it simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on (careful not to let the rice stick to the pan)
Serve and garnish with remaining fresh cilantro
Suggest serving with plain yogurt.
Thai Green Chicken Curry
Prep time 5 minutes, cooking time 5 minutes, serves 2-3
An airline pilot swiftly redirected his plane to save the life of one of his passengers — a seven-year-old French bulldog named Simba.
The Air Canada flight from Tel Aviv, Israel, to Toronto, Canada, was cruising over Europe when the pilot noticed a problem with the heating system in the cargo hold. The pilot also realized there was a small dog down there.
At cruising altitude, the outside temperature can be 50 degrees below zero, and air in the hold can drop below freezing in a matter of minutes.
That’s why the pilot diverted the flight to Frankfurt, Germany, where Simba was put on another flight before the plane continued to Toronto. The decision added about 75 minutes to the travel time for the flight’s passengers and cost the airline about $10,000 in fuel costs and landing fees, but Air Canada says it was the right thing to do.
Many of the students in Detroit, Michigan’s schools show up to class with used or secondhand school supplies, making it harder for them to concentrate on learning.
One lawyer decided to change the game for every elementary public school student in the city.
The Mike Morse Law Firm decided to invest a quarter million dollars to buy 23,000 backpacks filled with school supplies like markers, erasers, folders, pencils, notebooks, and other educational goodies for each student in grades K through 5.
Needless to say, the new gifts brought excited back-to-school smiles to children’s faces in 65 Detroit schools.
“I think it teaches them that there are people out there in the community that care about them,” Mike Morse said in a video highlighting the firm’s efforts. “They want them to succeed, that want them to win at life.”
A few days after the video was shot, filmmaker Sean O’Grady spoke with a family who just moved to the city under some tough circumstances and couldn’t afford to buy any uniforms or supplies for their twin fifth graders.
“As a result of the donation, they now have all the supplies they need to start the year. The entire family of 5 was incredibly grateful and it was really moving,” O’Grady told the Good News Network. “They heard nothing but bad things about Detroit before moving there, but this helped them realize that there are generous people everywhere.”
In preparation for next year, The Mike Morse Backpack Fund is raising more money from public donations to try to give every Michigan student a great start to the school year. Donate at the link above, or at the partnering nonprofit Kids In Need Foundation.
(Previously we reported the backpacks each cost $20, but, learned later they were valued at twenty dollars, but purchased at a discount for half the calculated amount.)
Four years ago today, the Occupy Wall Street movement began in New York City’s financial district. Although the encampments that sprang up around the world in solidarity were eventually closed, an amazing effort was soon underway to help “the 99%”.
Since it organized one year later, this positive protest movement has, to date, paid off nearly $32 million in Americans’ personal debt.
Called the “Rolling Jubilee,” the nonprofit buys the debt the same way collection companies do, but instead of trying to collect the money, they simply forgive the debt.
The project can afford to do this because they buy a dollar’s worth of debt for about five cents on the “secondary debt market.”
Banks and credit card companies bundle together bad debt after people declare bankruptcy or default on payments. They’re willing to sell the debt so cheaply because they don’t expect to get the full amount back from the people they lent it to.
That philosophy has allowed Rolling Jubilee to pay off that multi-million dollar bill using just over $700,000 in donations over the last three years.
Because of the nature of the market, the project can’t specify whose debt it buys, but once Rolling Jubilee owns it they contact the debtors and let them know their bill is paid in full.
The lucky recipients get a letter in the mail declaring, “You no longer owe the balance of this particular debt. It is gone, a gift with no strings attached.”
One of those people is Christina Lee, who, in addition to 
Deaf Dogs Rock also provides a welcoming 
