All People Making a Difference
Encore Careers: It's never too late to help othersOlder Americans eager to fix nagging social problems do what anyone does: They tap their skills and networks to start their own initiatives or join established efforts like ReServe, the Executive Service Corps, the Peace Corps, or Teach for America, says the founder of Encore.org.
Former Islamist seeks to turn the tide of religious extremism in PakistanMaajid Nawaz has founded Khudi, the first social movement in Pakistan to challenge extremist religious ideas and instead promote democratic culture among youths.
Restoring US native prairies, acre by acre, yard by yardAcross the US Midwest, homeowners are restoring their yards and former farmland to the native prairie that existed in pre-settlement days. The benefits can be substantial 鈥� the need for less water and no fertilizer, and an ecosystem that supports wildlife.
Difference MakerEstela de Carlotto hunts for Argentina's grandchildren 'stolen' decades agoEstela de Carlotto heads the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, who seek to reunite children taken from their mothers during Argentina's military dictatorship with their real families.
13 resolutions to improve the world's food supply in 2013Nearly 1 billion people are still hungry and more than 1 billion others are overweight or obese. The need is for better access to better quality food.
Nonprofits' message: Keep firewood close to homeEnvironmental groups are sending out a warning that transporting firewood across state lines can spread insects and diseases, wiping out swaths of forest and causing economic and environmental damage.
How renewable energy is rescuing US schools from budget cutsEducators across the country are finding millions of dollars in savings through cheap and simple forms of renewable energy. Since 2003, one school district has cut more than $7 million in energy costs. That equates to 45 teaching positions.
FarmVille's game players bring clean water to the real worldItems purchased on Zynga's popular Facebook games FarmVille and Mafia Wars raise money for Water.org, which provides safe water and sanitation for people in the real world.
Four ways to help 'contract farming' benefit the very poorContract farming 鈥� an agreement between a farmer and a buyer 鈥� offers many benefits to small farmers if they have access to education and legal services.
Difference MakerEntrepreneur Joe Edwards helps make St. Louis vibrant againBy restoring buildings and activity to a historic St. Louis neighborhood Joe Edwards has become a powerful force for civic good.
Number of volunteers in US hits highest level since 2005More than one-quarter of Americans did volunteer work in 2011, providing 7.9 billion hours of service worth $171 billion. Utah led among states. Iowans responded to their governor's call for volunteers.
Give to people on the street? In cities, it's a daily dilemmaWhether to give to people on the street who ask for money is a complicated decision, with no easy right or wrong answer. It's a highly personal act that sometimes can be deeply rewarding.
Mom in Argentina rescues hundreds of sex slavesWhat began as a one-woman campaign a decade ago has become a movement, and today Susana聽Trimarco is a hero to hundreds of women she's rescued from prostitution rings in Argentina.
Shoppers add charitable giving to their listsPurchases that give a portion of the sale to a charity make shoppers feel good but may diminish overall giving to that charity, a consultant says.
Kids Helping Kids is run by kids 鈥� and for kidsThe Connecticut-based nonprofit youth group of middle schoolers and teens plans and carries out projects that make a positive difference in their community and beyond.
Difference MakerIzhar Gafni invents a cardboard bicycle that may revolutionize transportationHis two-wheeled creation, a $20 bike made out of cardboard, could revolutionize bicycling, especially in the developing world.
Alta Gracia factory produces fair-trade clothingFor years, college student activists have pressured their schools to make sure clothing with college logos is sweatshop-free. Now, they have another choice: fair-trade clothing manufactured in the Dominican Republic by Alta Gracia.
Would the lights go out if superstorm Sandy hit the Netherlands? Nope.The US can learn from the modern, disaster-resistant electric grid in the Netherlands.
Clean cookstoves in Mozambique lure big investorsCleanStar Mozambique is a combined effort among a mix of institutions centered around replacing traditional charcoal cooking stoves with stoves fueled by sustainably produced bio-ethanol.
#GivingTuesday sparks a big spike in charitable donationsGifts to charitable groups shot up 53 percent to $10 million on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which is being promoted as #GivingTuesday.