Cabbie spreads happiness to his customers

This cab is a sweet ride - New York Daily News

NYC cabbie Mansoor Khalid gives his fares a little extra when they ride with him - his backseat is full of candy, as much as they want to eat, all included in the price. After losing his young son a few years back, h e decided that it was his mission to spread joy and happiness to the people of NYC, who are routinely overworked and overstressed.


(Khalid in his cab with the candy he gives his passengers.)

Paralyzed Haitian Earthquake Victim To Race in Paralympics

Beating the Odds: Paralyzed Haitian Earthquake Victim To Race in Paralympics | Sports on GOOD

The 2010 earthquake in Haiti left Leon Gaisili paralyzed from the waist down, making an already difficult life even more difficult for Leon, his wife and his eight children (eight!).

The Walkabout Foundation heard about this and gave him a wheelchair so that he could get out of his hospital bed and start rebuilding his life. And this year Gaisili participated in the 2012 London Paralympics.

The Walkabout Foundation is continuing it mission of getting sturdy, low-cost wheelchairs to the people who need them most. Read more about it here.

DC Drivers Get A Boost On Monday Mornings

For most people, Mondays are that dreaded day when the rest of the weekend has come to an abrupt end and it's back to another long day fighting traffic and sitting in front of a computer screen. Residents of Washington, DC are getting a surprising morale boost however. Four volunteers, led by 29 year old Massoud Adibpour, have taken to standing on the corner of 14th street on the Mall holding aloft signs of good will for passing motorists. The signs include "Smile", "Be Happy", "Don't be so hard on yourself", and "Honk if you love someone!"

The act has been met with a lot of enthusiasm as cars honk, bicycles ring their bells, and pedestrians give thumbs up to the display. So far, Massoud and his friends have been able to get 307 honks as their personal record. They're aiming for 350 in the future. The efforts of these cheerful volunteers isn't to be taken too lightly either. Science has suggested that for every negative experience someone has, they need approximately five good ones to make up for it, however, seeing the signs might jog feelings of good will and gratitude that will assist in setting the tone for an entire day. In other words, the people who Massoud cheers are more likely to have a better day because they're already in a positive mood.

“No one wants to go to work on Monday, so we wanted to brighten people’s day,” he said. “D.C.’s really stressed out, so I wanted to spread a little bit of happiness in the city. I think it can go pretty far.”
Want to read more about the other efforts and amazing kindness Massoud and his friends are doing? Click here.

Man Creates Bicycle Library To Offer Books To The Homeless

Robson Mendonça spent a decade on the streets of San Paulo before a single book changed his life. After reason Orson Wells 'Animal Farm', Robson decided to stop drinking, study more, and finally got his life back on track. Now, the 61 year old former construction worker is working to bring that same hope to others who society may have written off. The homeless face many problems the average person doesn't think about, including not being able to check books out of a library. With no permanent address, they cannot borrow books by normal means. That's where Robson comes in. He began his initiative by walking around the busiest parts of the city and hand carrying books which the homeless could borrow from him.

When the non-profit Green Mobility heard about Robson's efforts, they donated a bicycle to him to assist. More donations began to roll in as well, these in the form of more books and now Robson's library boasts a hefty 30,000 volumes. He cycles around the city carrying as many as 300 books at a time and has so far had over 107,000 loans. The checkout process is one based on trust as there is no requirement for the borrower to be the one that brings the book back and often books are passed among a few people before being returned. The bicycle library also contains a solar powered laptop which three additional volunteers use to run literacy classes and help people find local shelters. Green Mobility is so excited about the success of Robson's library that they have decided to start more mobile libraries in as many as 12 other Brazilian cities. 

To read more, click here.

Auto Shop Stands Up For Bullied Teen

Hate is no stranger to Jordan Addison. As an openly gay teen attending Radford University in Roanoke, VA, he has been the target of a great deal of closed minded aggression. Within the span of three months, Jordan's car had been vandalized four times. Hate words, anti-homosexual slurs, and even threats have been carved and painted onto his vehicle. The word "DIE" had been keyed into one of the doors. When Jordan took his car into a local repair shop, the totals came out to a whopping $2500, an amount that he simply couldn't afford as a college student.

That's when Richard Henegar, Jr., the manager at Quality Auto Paint and Body, stepped in to help. He worked with some other local businesses to include Parts Unlimited in Vinton, Advance Auto Parts, Moon's Auto Body, Rice Toyota, Val's Automotive, The Rod Shop, B&C Exterminating, Twists & Turns, AJ's Landscaping and Sunnybrook Auto Spa. Together, they not only repaired the damage to Jordan's car, they also added an additional $10,000 in upgrades for him.

"Once I saw the vandalism that was done to it, I said 'that’s uncalled for. We’re gonna fix your car.'" Henegar told news station WTVR, "That’s the least we can do."

Addison was left speechless in the face of this act of kindness.

Man Wins $250 in Groceries and Decides to Pay It Forward

Money is tight for a lot of people lately and news channel ABC7 out of California was trying to help out by doing a weekly Facebook giveaway of $250 grocery gift cards. They never expected that kindness to be paid forward quite the way it was however. Scotty Randall, a local from Santa Ana, won the weekly drawing but instead of spending the money on himself, he went down to his local Von's grocery store to give it away. He broke the money down into smaller denominations of $25 each and began scouring the store for people who looked like they could use a little help.

When Vons heard about the good deed, they matched the earlier gift card with another $250 one so Scotty could do even more good deeds with it. One of the families who received a card was the Olsen family. Mr. Olsen was shopping with his three children when Scotty gave him the gift card. The timing could not have been better as it was Mrs. Olsen's birthday and her elated family could now afford to buy her cards and flowers to celebrate.

Scotty's good deeds didn't stop at the grocery store however as he also gave money to the Contreras family after their name was given to him by the Boys and Girls Club of Garden Grove. David Contreras is returning to the Army and will once again be away from his two kids and wife.

Scotty is now eligible for for a grand prize drawing of $5000 from Vons and says that if he wins, he will once again be looking to pay the money forward to other families in need.

Man Lifts SUV Off Friend

When a simple tire change went horribly awry, trapping Brooklyn native Rob Brown under his SUV, help came from an unlikely source. His neighbor, 48 year old Carlos Castro, heard his cries for help and rushed to his friend's aid. Carlos is not a large man by any means but in a moment of need, he found the strength to lift the back end of the SUV by it's hitch so that Rob could wiggle free. Science tells us that this is because in moments of emergency, the body floods our system with adrenaline and cortisol,  giving mucles get a much needed boost but Rob doesn't care about all of that. He just knows that Carlos is his hero for saving his life.  

1.7 Million Raised For Nikola Tesla Museum

Most people have never heard of Wardenclyffe or Shoreham, New York, but mention the name Nikola Tesla and intellectuals everywhere will chatter excitedly about this unsung hero of modern science. When the world was still living in a time of candlelight, Tesla was inventing the concept of alternating current, the very system we use today to power our homes. Want to know more about Tesla? Read here.

Wardenclyffe was the final laboratory that Tesla used before his passing and he had intended to build a tower there that would have provided free energy to the entire world. When the project lost funding in 1917, however, the land was sold off to film and paper manufacturers. The laboratory and tower foundation still remain to this day and the land recently went up for sale again. Two bidders were eyeing the property, one a non-profit intent on building a Nikola Tesla museum and the other a developer who intended to build a retail center. Faced with the prospect of losing this part of history to a new Walmart, popular comedy site The Oatmeal put out a plea to all of geekdom to ask for help in outbidding the retailer.

The goal had been set at $850,000 but within days that number had been smashed through by generous donations. The fundraising efforts are now at over $900k and growing with a full 39 days of fundraising left. The money already raised, when combined with a matching contribution from NY, will be more than enough to purchase the property and any additional funding will go toward the building of the museum.

Since the campaign started last week, it has raised an average of $145,000 per day, $6,000 per hour and $100 per minute, with contributions coming from 102 countries, according to an infographic by Indiegogo. So far, 20,000 people have donated.

Vancouver Superhero Helps The Homeless

When you mention the word death, most people don't think of kindness and generosity but one Vancouver man is changing that perception. He calls himself Thanatos, named after the Greek god of death, and he's doing a lot of good for the homeless in his area. Thanatos, who prefers to keep his real identity secret, stated that one day while working downtown, he really began noticing all of the homeless in the area. People were living and dying in the street and the sight of that struck him.

"I was told by a police officer that some people on the street had nothing better to look forward to than death. That really stung, that really hurt me,” he told a local newspaper. "So I said if that’s the case, then death better get out there and start taking care of these people. I developed this persona to go out there and help."
With that, Thanatos set out to change as many lives as he could. He roams around doing good deeds for those who need them most including handing out water bottles and slips of paper with the word "friend" on them. Anything to bolster the morale of those who most people had forgotten. His efforts have paid off in large ways for at least one young woman who went from a $400 a day herion addiction to a full time job working downtown at a social services office.

When asked how she turned her life around, her answer is "Death came and told me I had to change the way I was living. Death saved me."

Thanatos is part of the Real Life Superhero Project, a group of like minded individuals who dress as heroes and perform acts of kindness. It may seem over-dramatic to some or childish behavior to others but Thanatos sees dressing up as a means to an end. By wearing the colorful costume, he can bring attention and light to the very real and somber issue of homelessness in Vancouver's downtown East Side neighborhood.

Good Samaritan Saves Life of 82-Yr-Old Veteran

When N.C. veteran Albert Cinquepalma entered O'Hare airport to make his connecting flight, he had no idea that his life was about to hang in the balance. The 82 year old veteran was taking an escalator when his travel bag got caught in the feed. Albert toppled backward and fell down the escalator, tearing the skin from his arm along the way. The bleeding was profuse and airport staff informed Albert that the medical staff would not be able to get to him for at least 20 minutes. Fortunately for Albert, more immediate aid was at hand.

A fellow traveler, Ted Russell, saw the commotion and stopped to offer his help. Ted is a salesman for a product called Quik Clot, an emergency clotting bandage currently used on the field of battle by deployed soldiers. Ted quickly bandaged the wounds on Albert's arm and the bleeding was finally stopped. Once assured that his charge would be ok, the humble salesman then left without thought of reward or applause.

Albert was later taken to Chicago's Resurrection Hospital and despite the severe injuries to his arm, he fully recovered. Moved by the kindness of the stranger who stopped to help him, Albert used the empty Quick Clot package to lead him back to the man who had saved him. He contacted Quick Clot who put him in touch with Ted where the veteran was finally able to express his thanks.

"If anyone is a hero, it’s Albert and what he did for our country," Russell said after the call from Cinquepalma.

Cinquepalma served in the Heavy Weapons Infantry, 7^th Division, 32nd Regiment, Company D for an 81mm mortar platoon during the Korean War. He took fire in the back on June 2, 1951, when he was a forward observer.

Man Uses Unlimited Air Miles To Help Strangers

Most kids straight out of high school have dreams of traveling the world before heading off to college and eventually their chosen careers. Some manage it and come back with photos and a few fun stories of their travels but for one young man, the stories are a bit different. Daniel, a reddit user going by the name Generique, decided that he didn't just want to travel: he wanted to use his trips to help people instead. He has a family member who works for an unnamed airline and he's allowed to travel anywhere in the world, paying only departure taxes along the way. With this in mind, he posted made a post on reddit that quickly got attention.

"I want to have a Reddit-powered epic summer adventure. As a result of having a family member employed by a large airline, I have the ability to travel non-rev status (if there’s empty seats and no one ahead of me in line), paying only departure taxes. I’d rather not disclose the specific airline, in case I get into shenanigans that might reflect on them.

"Want me to hand deliver a letter to someone across the country or overseas? Attempt to help you with homework? Volunteer at your organization for a day? Need an extra pair of hands to do that landscaping project you’ve been putting off for months? Know a sweet hiking spot but have no one to go with?"

Within 24 hours, thousands of comments had come in with 300 of them being requests. Some were heartwarming, some down right bizzare, but Daniel picked among the plethora of responses and chose his favorites. He made a list and began checking them off one by one. Some of the tasks included were helping someone move a couch in Denver, teaching English at a school in Thailand, sitting for a self portrait in San Francisco, and washing a family car. The car is Daniel's favorite so far as the family has a son with Down's Syndrome and Leukemia and they were immensely grateful for the kind act Daniel performed.

With his list of 30-40 items finally checked off, Daniel has returned home and is preparing for college. He says he plans to do this adventure again next summer in the hopes of cheering up more people and doing more kind deeds. 

$3100 Cash Returned To 90 Year Old Widow

90 year old Evelyn Weiner got an unexpected surprise when she turned in an old film canister for processing.She had sent the 70 year old rolls of film off to be converted to DVD format by a Georgia company called Yes Video. An employee at the company discovered more than just film in the canister though. Hidden inside was also $3100 in cash which the late Mickey Weiner had hidden away in hopes of someday using it to take his wife on a trip to Isreal. Sadly he never got that chance and Evelyn had no idea he had stashed the money away.

It would have been easy enough for the Yes Video employee to simply pocket the money themselves but instead they worked to notify Mrs. Weiner of her good fortune and the money was returned to her. She sees this act as a renewal of her faith in the humanity of others and a sign that her husband is still watching over her to this day.

"When you pick up the newspaper or watch the television, everybody's bad, everybody steals," she stated, "And here, somebody hands me money that I didn't know was there."

Man's Dying Wish To Leave Tips Goes Viral

We recently brought you the story of Aaron Collins and his last wish for his family to raise $500 and leave it as a tip for some unsuspecting waiter or waitress at a pizza place. His family was able to fulfill that dream and they posted a video of the good deed on-line. Since that day, a little over a month ago, the video has gone viral along with the message of kindess that spurred it. People have generously donated to the Aaron's Last Wish fund with totals already breaching $50k and growing. The family now has enough funding to continue their kind acts once a week for the next 2 years. Sean, Aaron's brother, has already passed out another $1500 to 3 more service staff and videos can be seen on their facebok page.

For the people on the receiving end of these tips, they are a breath of relief during a time of economic turmoil. One waitress is working three jobs at once just to get through college while the other two have young children at home that they are trying to provide for. Aaron's legacy will go to good use with all three.

To read more, click here.

80-Year-Old Lobster Rescued from a Boiling Connecticut Pot

People Are Awesome: 80-Year-Old Lobster Rescued from a Boiling Connecticut Pot - News - GOOD

Sometimes the folks who benefit from kind deeds aren't people at all. Lobsters need love, too! The best part is that the lobster in question was released into a habitat that's safe from fishing boats, so he's not likely to be caught someplace else.



(Photo by flickr user Patrik Neckman)

14 Year Old Boy Wins Award for Providing Shoes to the Homeless

14 year old Nicholas Cranston was recently awarded a Hero Award by the Build-A-Bear organization for his non-profit Gotta Have Sole. Nicholas works hand in hand with local homeless shelters to provide shoes to the children living in less thatn ideal conditions. The shelters provide Nicholas with the sizes the need most and he then purchases the shoes with donations made to his organization. He hand packs them and delivers them to children for whom this may be the first new shoes they've ever received. In the short time since his non-profit was started, Nicholas has raised an astounding $49,000 and purchsed 3,000 pairs of shoes for needy children.

Mystery Man Gives Strangers Wads of Cash

People Are Awesome: Mystery Man Gives Strangers Wads of Cash - Lifestyle - GOOD

This is a little bit of a trick post, because it's a double-plus good thing: a mysterious man with a camera gives out money to random people. A lot of money. But in order to receive the money, they have to agree to have their photo taken, and "pay it forward," by doing something good with the money. He asks that they document their good deed and share stories.

Here's a link to the Wearelucky website. You can read the stories and see photos of the people who've participated so far. So cool!