All People Making a Difference
An alternative to junking that broken applianceAt Repair Caf茅 events, handy volunteers help their less-skilled neighbors. The events are part of a repair movement spreading around the world, at a time when the global trash pile is growing exponentially.
Difference MakerHow a forlorn playground became one of America鈥檚 most innovative public spacesToody Maher is an urban visionary who helped residents in Richmond, Calif., collectively transform a deserted spot. She believes that the most beautiful and enlightened public spaces belong in the most disadvantaged communities.
Difference MakerHe鈥檚 led a transformation among Roma villagers: crime down, productivity upL谩szl贸 Bogd谩n, the mayor of Cserdi, Hungary, has worked to instill a sense of self-worth in the villagers while also countering common prejudices about the Roma. And he鈥檚 led by example.
Difference MakerHe鈥檚 given at-risk young men the space to learn and growRichard Bienvenue founded Our House, which is now located on a farm in Maryland. There, male adolescents focus on learning trades that can become their careers, and they do it with a structure that has often been lacking for them.
Difference MakerHaving trouble getting a job as an older worker? This woman has some advice.Elizabeth White herself couldn鈥檛 find work later in her career. She鈥檚 now written a book in which she identifies issues that older workers face and suggests steps for restoring what she calls 鈥榓 richly textured life.鈥�
How a city girl came to oversee a community gardenDawn Blackman Sr. saw a need for fresh food in her urban community. The Randolph Street Community Garden in Champaign, Ill., now has 72 beds, and more than 3,000 people received fresh produce last year.
Difference MakerShe re-created a medieval trail in Germany, drawing thousands of hikersEsther Zeiher launched the endeavor after she came across an old map. She calls the trail an 鈥榓dventure in humanity鈥� that is enabling meaningful exchanges between people.
Volunteering together: how families can plan a vacation that gives backAhead of the big summer vacation season, here are some ideas for trying something different 鈥� service.
Teen siblings raise nearly $110,000 to fight hunger in Washington StateAidan Ryan started volunteering abroad, but when he realized the challenges much closer to home, he adjusted his focus. His sister, Erin Ryan, has gotten involved, too.
India's rescued bonded laborers rebuild lives in 'dream homes'Students from a college in Chennai, India, are working with the rescued individuals as part of a project to help them get back on their feet. Without homes, among other things, it is easy for them to slip back into debt bondage, campaigners say.
鈥楽tar Wars鈥�-style desert moisture farming: New tech brings it a step closerResearchers are working to take the process from science fiction to reality. A new study is demonstrating how one device could work even in dry desert conditions using only the power of the sun.
Difference MakerRescued chimpanzees and orangutans: This woman鈥檚 lifework is caring for themPatti Ragan founded the Center for Great Apes near Wauchula, Fla., which has become a model for ape sanctuaries across the US.
From waste to energy: Danish plant maximizes the power of wastewaterMost water treatment plants are energy hogs, but investment in new technologies helped the Marselisborg plant reduce its power consumption by 33 percent. Engineers from other countries have been lining up to learn about the process.
This chef loves cooking for homeless peopleRob Cox has a culinary degree and has managed other kitchens, but what makes him happy is cooking every day at the Shalom Community Center in Bloomington, Ind.
Afghan activist wins award for work on job creation, women's participationSeema Ghani fled Afghanistan with her family in the 1990s during the country's civil war. She decided to return in 2002 to help rebuild her country. Last month, she earned the Bond Outstanding Individual Award.
One way to keep businesses (and small towns) alive when their owners retireIn Kansas, a matchmaking service that鈥檚 based at a university is helping transition small businesses to new hands. Could it be a model for the rest of rural America?
Difference MakerShe鈥檚 leading efforts to restore an iconic castle in TransylvaniaT铆mea Berki first visited B谩nffy Castle in 2005 and has since focused on saving the complex. Resources are often scarce for such projects in the region.
She did something to help make her state healthierWest Virginia ranks as one of the states with the least-healthy people. Kate Long and the network she co-directs, Try This West Virginia, highlight affordable, practical projects that help address this challenge.
Former Burundi street child helps heal civil war divisionsDieudonne Nahimana founded a charity trying to break the cycle of retribution among children orphaned by Burundi's civil war. To foster reconciliation, the charity also works with children whose parents were the killers.
A teen and her dog make weekly visits to assisted living home, earning awardAlex Burnham started the visits as part of a project to earn her Girl Scout Silver Award. But even after earning the award, the weekly visits have continued, and she's now the聽recipient of a Prudential Spirit of Community Award.
