11/514 Good Things

Help Students in Need.

Here are two amazing organizations that help school-age children who live at or below the poverty line. If you are looking for a place to make a monetary donation, look into these two organizations. One focuses on school supplies, and one focuses on feeding students on the weekends so they don't go hungry when schools are closed and free breakfast and lunches are unavailable.

I know, I know, you may be thinking that all of these things should be provided for to students free of charge, maybe through taxes. But we don't live in a world of should, unfortunately, we live in a world of is. And the nation's schools don't currently run that way, so we do what we must do in the meantime.

I'm really glad to know that there are organizations like this in the country, full of people who care for future generations. Some days it's tough to remember that there is still kindness in this nation, but it is there, I promise.

10/514 Good Things

Good News for the Great Coral Reef
A giant, Manhattan-sized chunk of pumice is floating across the ocean and will make its way to the Great Coral Reef sometime in the next year. During its slow journey, it's expected to pick up some new critters and life forms that will hopefully boost the growth of the Great Coral Reef, which could really need a boost. I don't know about you, but I'll be watching this story carefully and with a sense of hope.

9/514 Good Things

Good News for Sharks!

Sharks and rays are being given stronger protections to help keep them from being driven to extinction. In a time when so many regulations keeping people and animals safe are being loosened, it's good to see some regulations being strengthened.

8/514 Good Things

Today's Good News.

Ava Lewis gives me hope for the future. This three year old girl has more love and caring inside her than the entire current presidential administration combined. I have never heard of somebody so young having so much compassion for others. I wish I lived close by her so I could support her stand. The lemonade looks delicious!

7/514 Good Things

Out of the Cold War, comes life...

In a former "no-man's land" of the Cold War, a large strip of land all across Europe, animals have made a home and have thrived. Since humans decided they couldn't work well or play well together, animals came in and did just that. Hopefully, this land will remain a sanctuary to the newer inhabitants for a long time to come.

6/514 Good Things

Today's good thing.

In keeping with yesterday's good thing, we're still on the idea of planting, today. Only this is in Zambia. For so long, African nations have been under the thumb of colonization, and many of the solutions for their problems have come from outside the continent. This helpful app was developed by a Zambian man, for the Zambian people. Hopefully it will help farmers improve their crops, and therefore, their livelihoods! Technology and growing things from the ground, who knew it would make such a beautiful pairing?!

5/514 Good Things

School gardens, today's good thing.
School gardens are becoming more prevalent across the country, and this story from the East Coast talks of how they are thriving even in the summer when students are out of school. Volunteers make the world such a better place, regardless of what they're volunteering to do. And school gardens provide teaching and learning opportunities, and produce food and give students a chance to try new foods.

I would love to see this trend continue and increase nationwide, perhaps teaming up with local food banks or other organizations to make sure that extra food ends up in the hands of low-income people who could make good use of it. Many of us talk about how homegrown/farmer's market produce is healthiest for everybody, but not everybody has access to it. Maybe school gardens can help bridge that gap.