10 feel-good stories that made us smile
(and we hope they make you smile, too!)
There’s a whole lot of good in the world this time of year. From small acts of kindness to larger gestures, we’ve heard so many stories of people who are giving back and making the world a better place. Here are ten of our favourites.
1 – The folks at 99.9 Virgin Radio Toronto, who helped three local families in need
They made the holidays extra merry for these deserving families with their annual “Make it Merry” campaign, raising more than $60,000 in just a few weeks—all donated from local businesses and listeners around the GTA. The three families were showered with gifts and love in what the radio station calls “Toronto’s biggest #PayItForward campaign.”
2 – A group of homeless men in Calgary who raised $1,100 for charity
The Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre clients picked up bottles and exchanged them for cash at recycling depots, donating the proceeds to the Ronald McDonald House of Southern Alberta.
3 – Two sisters in Kamloops, British Columbia who have become dog-foster-parents (they even take the dogs swimming!)
10-year-old Olivia and nine-year-old Emma are helping foster several elderly Chihuahuas their family rescued from shelters in Sacramento, California. The two have been hard at work taking care of their foster-dogs, even taking them to a local pool for canine hydrotherapy. The family is looking after the dogs until they’re adopted into permanent homes.
4 – Robbie, a homeless man who saw someone in need and offered what he could—the last money he had
The homeless man in Lancashire, England offered 22-year-old Dominique the last of his spare change, when she realized she had no money to get home safely after a night out. Even though Dominique ended up finding another way to get home without taking Robbie’s money, she was inspired by his gesture and started a fundraising campaign on his behalf. To date, she’s raised nearly $60,000 CAD.
5 – A group of our Free The Children colleagues who gave back via a holiday clothing drive
The Youth Engagement team over at Toronto’s Free The Children office recently collected jackets, mittens and scarves from their colleagues and friends to donate to the Rotary Transition Centre at St Michael’s Hospital. Donations will benefit people who can take some warm clothing before their discharge from the centre.
6 – Four ladies who bake cookies each week to make life a little sweeter for families at Ronald McDonald House Toronto
The group—who call themselves the “Bakers and Shakers”—take over the house’s kitchen every Tuesday to bake delicious treats. Ronald McDonald House provides a home-away-from-home to families with seriously ill children.
7 – Jordan Axani, a travel-lover who’s paying it forward by helping people go on their dream trips around the world
You likely heard in the news this fall about this guy who offered anyone with the name “Elizabeth Gallagher” a free trip around the world—replacing a ticket meant for his now ex-girlfriend. Now, Jordan has started a non-profit, A Ticket Forward, which uses crowdfunding to help fund travel for deserving people who cannot otherwise afford it. There are currently four stories featured on the charity’s website, all of people or families whose lives Jordan hopes to transform through travel. And we know first-hand the life-changing power travel can have!
8 – A group of Montreal students who taught their teacher about the meaning of giving
Through a “Spirit of Giving” project, these Grade 11 students collected hundreds of items to donate to a local community organization—from non-perishable food, to books and toys, to bathroom and kitchen products. Their teacher says seeing how her students reacted to how much they’d collected made her realize how caring and giving they are, and how much good is in the world. Awww.
9 – A pilot who has flown 3,000 animals to safety
Jeff Bennett volunteers for Pilots and Paws, a charity in South Carolina that has small plane pilots take animals from overcrowded shelters to foster homes or less crowded shelters, saving the animals from euthanasia or abandonment and helping them find safe homes. And it’s not limited to dogs and cats—Jeff has transported everything from a potbellied pig, to a snake, to a falcon.
10 – …Well, this one’s up to you! What will your story be?
Whether you’ll be spreading cheer with random acts of kindness, volunteering in your neighbourhood or making the most of time with friends & family, we hope you have a wonderful, joy-filled holiday season!
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