The Grandma Stand – credit, Graham Meyers for the City of McKinney From Canada’s “As it Happens” comes a story by way of Texas of a “Grandma Stand” where volunteer elders offer to lend an ear to anyone beset by troubles. Anyone can walk by the purple lemonade stand and sit down across from a … Read more
Quilen Blackwell – credit, CNN Newsroom, released Hope and opportunity are blossoming on the South Side of Chicago where a man and his wife have used flowers to help poor communities turn over a new leaf. Running two nonprofits, Southside Blooms and Chicago Eco House, Quilen Blackwell and his wife Hannah Bonham are helping at-risk … Read more
Tick species that spread Lyme disease – credit CDC From 60 Minutes comes the story of a Georgia science team that carried the Stars and Stripes to Europe for an international science competition and finished in the top ten by using genetic engineering to develop a superior testing and treatment method for Lyme disease. If … Read more
Amputee Kim Smith pre- and post-transplant – SWNS A woman who lost all her limbs after contracting an infection and getting sepsis while on vacation in Spain eight years ago is now thrilled after receiving a new hand. Kim Smith and her doctors were trying for a double hand transplant during the 14-hour surgery, but … Read more
Former police officer Wade Milyard started Fresh Step Laundry to serve the homeless Wade Milyard heard the voice from “out of nowhere” and knew he needed to listen—he thought it was God, or some other higher power, calling him into action. It started a few years ago when the former canine officer for the Frederick … Read more
The Goldenstein Castle, in Elsbethen, Austria – credit, CC BY-SA 3.0. Arne Müseler From Austria comes the story of 3 ‘rebel’ nuns who left an elderly care home and broke into the historic abbey where they had lived their entire adult lives. While doing so they made headlines worldwide, amassed a captivated and supportive following … Read more
Julia Stults gets treatment from Pile of Puppies – Courtesy of Dina Stults Even if cancer can survive chemotherapy, it’s no match, at least for a moment, for the smile that shines from underneath a pile of puppies. Pile of Puppies is a Portland-based nonprofit that brings large litters of puppies to the homes of … Read more
Pope Francis in 2015 rides in Popemobile in Washington DC Parade – Credit Tami Heilemann / U.S. Department of the Interior – CC BY-SA 2.0 The global Catholic charity organization Caritas, asked Pope Francis in the final years of his life if he would like to see his old ‘popemobile’ used as a mobile hospital … Read more
Cakes4Kids Even the TV show’s host was crying. During the “Rad Humans” segment on her talk show, Kelly Clarkson introduced the nonprofit Cake4Kids—and before long, the emotional moment sent happy tears streaming down everyone’s face. For 15 years, the network of volunteer bakers have been providing custom birthday cakes for homeless kids, foster children, and … Read more
Zach Zarembinski and Isabelle Richards – credit, family photo Everyone knows love works in mysterious ways; but rarely more mysterious than in the story of Zach and Isabelle. Partners in life and partners in podcasting, it was 7 years ago that the two Minnesotans were partners of a distinctly less pleasant kind. At 18, Zach … Read more