All People Making a Difference
Difference MakerHow a mother-daughter duo has helped inmates read with their kidsElizabeth Handel and her daughter Jane have collected some 30,000 books that have then been distributed to prisons in the Boston area. When inmates share the books with their children, it can strengthen family bonds.
How one man is fighting graffiti in his townAlan Erickson keeps supplies in his truck so he can remove graffiti as soon as he sees it when he鈥檚 out. He encourages others to join the fight, saying a relatively small time commitment would make a big difference.
A father starts 'The Kindness Challenge' to honor his late son's compassionDennis Vassallo launched a Facebook page to share stories of kindness and urge people to do good deeds. Some say the page, which has attracted 44,000-plus followers, has inspired them to spend more time helping others.
By migrants for migrants: the new faces of Italian media'Nois' is the first video news show in Italy to be developed by migrants. It's one of a growing number of migrant-led media projects across Europe that offer refugees' perspectives and explore the challenges they face.
Difference MakerThis man has created a different kind of urban school for students of colorRoses in Concrete Community School, founded by Jeff Duncan-Andrade, offers its students the kind of art and music classes more often seen in wealthy suburbs 鈥� with a twist.
Want to volunteer? Three things to ask.The answers will help you use your time well and get the most out of your experience.
With laundry service, a group for disabled people benefits the communityThe Marion County Disability Action Center in West Virginia has launched the Feel Good Laundry service, which also gives opportunities to the group's clients.
Girls in Africa: one way that more of them are attending schoolAfter learning that family poverty was the reason many girls didn鈥檛 go to school, Ann Cotton founded Camfed, which has supported the education of 1.6 million girls.
Difference MakerHe devised a business plan that鈥檚 improved livelihoods in his native SenegalBagor茅 Bathily opened Senegal鈥檚 only fresh milk production company in 2007, capitalizing on the fact that 30 percent of the population lives off cattle rearing. Hundreds of cowherds have earned more income.
In new book, Vermont woman shares how the arts can help abuse victimsThe author, Tracy Penfield, is the founder of SafeArt in Chelsea, Vt., which recognizes how聽nonverbal communication, including in the performing and visual arts, can aid people who have endured abuse.
Afghan girls fight prejudice with martial artsGirls of the Shaolin Wushu club practice the flowing movements of Wushu. A 20-year-old trainer for the sport says it teaches self-defense聽鈥� and is 'really effective for body and soul.'
How farmers in Africa are finding ways to sustainably use wetlandsA range of organizations in Africa have recognized the way in which wetlands can be important for poverty reduction, improved livelihoods, and resilience in the face of climate change.
In Rome, a pensioner feeds 250 people in need four days a weekDino Impagliazzo's charity uses ingredients that are close to their expiration dates, supplied by grocery stores and wholesalers that would otherwise throw them away.
Difference MakerThis man won鈥檛 sleep in a bed. Not until everyone is able to have a mattress.After learning that many poor people lack basic furniture in their homes, Mark Bergel founded the nonprofit A Wider Circle in Maryland to tackle poverty.
An author troubled by war invites veterans to 鈥榃rite Peace鈥�Maxine Hong Kingston came up with the idea for The Veteran Writers Group after she had a devastating month herself in 1991. More than 800 people have answered her call.
Amid a tough winter for refugees, charity turns old blankets into coatsA Greek-German charity called Naomi has collected blankets from a refugee and migrant encampment that's now closed. Volunteers in a northern Greek city are using sewing machines to repurpose the items.
How we discovered the world鈥檚 largest tropical peatland, deep in CongoA team of three scientists and five assistants found 33 billion tons of carbon locked up in a Congo ecosystem 鈥� the equivalent of 20 years of current US fossil fuel emissions. The discovery is a key step in ensuring this carbon-storing area is protected.
For seniors fighting grief or depression, Friendship Line is a listening earPatrick Arbore saw a need to give older people an alternative to traditional suicide prevention hotlines 鈥� one that offers a conversation rather than potentially a confrontation.
Difference MakerDogs need this South African woman. People need her even more.Cora Bailey is the founder of an animal shelter in Johannesburg, South Africa. Many of its neighbors are undocumented migrants who rely on the shelter for services they cannot 鈥� or are too afraid to 鈥� seek out from the government.
In India, low-caste Dalit women take up journalism, have different focusAn all-women, all-Dalit team works for Khabar Lahariya (News Wave), a regional-language weekly that reports from disadvantaged areas that do not generally make the news.
