True Stories of Good People

Look What Help Can Do: Sara and Edgar of Nixta Taqueria

28 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sara and Edgar are the married co-owners behind Nixta Taqueria—a beloved restaurant located in East Austin, Texas. Dedicated to their community, the...

Making Sure Kids Have School Lunch: DeJuan Strickland

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DeJuan Strickland knows what it's like to not be able to afford school lunch. After learning about how many other kids have experienced the same situa...

Meet Kauai's Only Farm Animal Rescue: Christy Wong

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For Christy Wong and her family, animals have always been a big part of their lives—however, they never imagined that they would someday be operatin...

Sensory-Friendly Haircuts for Kids: Jelly Robinson

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jelly Robinson is a hairstylist with a special gift for helping children feel safe and confident while getting their hair cut. With her mobile salon, ...

Feeding Their Community, One PB&J at a Time: Ayaan Vaswani & Josh Isaac

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Inspired by their mothers' efforts to feed their local San Jose community, Ayaan and Josh are making a difference for those experiencing homelessness ...

Paying it Forward One Pedal at a Time: Hassan Abdus-Sabur

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For the past three years, Hassan Abdus-Sabur has concluded a multi-hundred mile scholarship fundraising bike ride by riding onto the Howard University...

Grupo Folklorico Izcalli: Annel Alvarez and Stacey Valdez

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After Annel Alvarez had her son Adrian, she was going through a pretty dark time in her life, feeling a sense of losing her identity. She knew she nee...

Joy, Flowers and Community: Shanice Fleming

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Shanice Fleming left her career as a chef in New York City to start her own business as a farmer, her path seemed straight and clear. But with th...

Ice Cream and Neighborly Love: The Watson Family

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Watson family is committed to feeding their neighbors in their small town of Frazeysburg, Ohio. What started as a community food pantry has grown ...

The Photographer Preserving WWII History: Jeff Rease

21 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Photographer Jeff Rease is dedicated to honoring the stories of WWII veterans through portraiture. What started with one photograph in Alabama has gro...

The Nerdettes: An All-Girls Robotics Team Inspiring their Community

30 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When a high school all-girls robotics team from Huntsville, Alabama landed a seat at the Tech Challenge World Championships, they weren't sure they wo...

The Violin That's Making History: Anne Harris & Amanda Ewing

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When a chance encounter on the internet brought together Anne, a Black female professional fiddle player, and Amanda, the only Black female violin mak...

Creating Connection for LGBTQ+ Youth: Laurenzo

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As a non-binary content creator, Laurenzo knows first-hand the struggles that LGBTQ+ youth face and how important it is to have a place where everyone...

The Power of Stories: Joseph Gutierrez

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Joseph Gutierrez moved to Nashville in 2017, he started to ask himself some honest questions about his new city. He wasn't sure what the city mea...

Creating Community Through Food: Alex Hanesakda

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While in a refugee camp as a child, Chef Alex Hanesakda watched his father cook meals for friends, family, and even strangers. It was in those moments...

The Landless Farmer Feeding Her Community: Chloe Moore

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In communities that lack access to fresh food, healthy eating options are limited. To Chloe Moore, the solution runs just as deep as the roots of the ...

The Confident Girl Project: Taylor McCowan

07 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Taylor McCowan always knew that confidence is key, but one day while she was volunteering in her community, that phrase took on a new meaning. Taylor ...

How to Use Your Birthday for Good: Kai Martin

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Not many kids get exactly what they want for their birthday for ten years in a row. But since Kai Martin was five years old, that's exactly what's hap...

#PatrioticKenny: Kenny Jary and Amanda Kline

10 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

US Navy Veteran Kenny Jary – or "Patriotic Kenny" as he's come to be called in his community – knows what it's like to rely on a mobility scooter ...

A Bookstore on Wheels: Latanya DeVaughn

29 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Latanya DeVaughn believes that every neighborhood deserves a bookstore—even if it's just for one day. 

Rollin From the Heart: John Barry and Alison Brown

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When John Barry and Alison Brown unexpectedly lost their 22-year-old son Ian in a tragic accident, their hearts were shattered. They knew how much he ...

Rescuing Food in Jersey City: Claudia Wheeler and Yawa Endara

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Claudia Wheeler is a full-time mother, as well as an elementary school teacher based in Jersey City, NJ. On top of all of her other responsibilities i...

A Love Letter to Black Queer Men: Kemar Jewel

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After he was kicked out of his family home at 15 for being gay, Kemar Jewel found his chosen family through the underground Philadelphia dance scene. ...

New York State of Kind: Ben Wei

03 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the US, it shook New York City especially hard. In a matter of weeks, hospitals around the city reached capacity ...

Fruits, Vegetables and Community: Ashley Webb

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When Ashley Webb moved her family from Los Angeles to New Orleans in 2017, it was a huge culture shock. Not only was the city very different, but the ...

will.i.am: The American Dream Fund

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most people know will.i.am as the founding member of The Black Eyed Peas, one of the most popular hip hop groups of all time. Aside from music, howeve...

Bay Area Freedom Collective: Simon Liu, Jessica McKellar & Tenzin Kyizom

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For formerly incarcerated individuals, safe, stable and affordable housing is the foundation of a smooth reentry into society. Unfortunately, it's oft...

Every Kid Deserves a Bike: Katie Blomquist

05 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When Katie Blomquist was in her mid-20s, she left her career in marketing and PR to pursue something more personally fulfilling: teaching. After landi...

Purpose 4 Pets: Meet Kid Hero Genevieve

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Eleven-year-old Genevieve may be young, but she has big dreams. After going through the application process to foster a kitten, she was inspired to st...

Cookies4Cures: Dana Perella

05 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When 5-year-old Dana Perella was at a speech therapy session she met another young girl named Mila, and they became fast friends. Over the years, Dana...

Dream Center of Englewood: Dion Dawson

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dion Dawson is a fighter in more ways than one. As a veteran, he served in the Navy as an award-winning member of his department's communications divi...

Saving Mila: Julia Vitarello

22 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When Julia Vitarello's precious daughter Mila was diagnosed with Batten disease at the age of seven, she was terrified and heartbroken. Determined to ...

Let's Make Masks & Cards: Nanette & Krystal Amihere

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When high school students and sisters Nanette and Krystal Amihere noticed that there were not many youth advocacy programs in their town, they decided...

Teen Child Abuse Activist: Elijah Lee

08 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When Elijah Lee was in the first grade, he learned that one of his classmates was experiencing child abuse. He assisted her in getting help, but the e...

The Pandemic Pup Relief Tour: Brian Taylor

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When the coronavirus swept through New York City this past spring, Brian Taylor had no choice but to close his dog grooming business to the public. Bu...

Heroic Flags for Frontline Workers: Lorenzo Liberti

10 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last year, 14-year-old Lorenzo Liberti discovered a passion to honor and help veterans in his community who were in need. Using his artistic talents, ...

The Power of Vulnerability: Ra Ra Rollins

04 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ra Ra Rollins is a full-time student at New York University and is going for his master's degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness, with a ...

Frontline Workers Counseling Project: Dr. Ania Wertz & Dr. Elizabeth Rawson

27 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, frontline workers have been risking their lives every day to keep vital services going for those who need it. Many of...

So Much More Than a Shower: Mark Lytal

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Lytal isn't one to take a hot shower for granted. He never forgot his 20 years in the US Air Force, when deployment would often mean long stretch...

Madi & Vashti Wilson: Joy in a Crayon Box

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When 8-year-old Madi Wilson noticed that there weren't any crayons at school that matched her skin color, she told her mom she felt sad. Motivated to ...

#WeWalkWithShawn: Shawn Dromgoole

06 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Shawn Dromgoole's family has lived in the same Nashville neighborhood for over 50 years, and he has lived there for his entire life. After hearing abo...

Empowering Cuts: Josh Santiago

29 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Josh Santiago knew he wanted to be a barber from a young age. What he couldn't have imagined is that he'd end up taking his skills to the streets and ...

Love for Seniors During COVID: Hita Gupta

22 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, 15-year-old Hita Gupta received a disappointing phone call. The local nursing home where sh...

Cool and Dope: Kid Hero Cavanaugh Bell (and Mom, Llacey)

16 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When 7-year-old Cavanaugh Bell was bullied, he said he felt a darkness inside him. He didn't want other kids to feel the same way, so he asked his mom...

Hugs Around the World: David Sylvester

09 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the aftermath of 9/11, David Sylvester, like so many other Americans, was feeling immense pain and anguish. He really wanted to do something to hel...

Brown Girls Doc Mafia: Iyabo Boyd

02 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Iyabo Boyd is the founder of Brown Girls Doc Mafia, an initiative advocating for over 4,000 women and non-binary people of color working in the docume...

Every Body Farms: Jenny Hernandez and Jessica Nelson

25 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Common Roots Farm in Santa Cruz, California is a very special place. Not only do they produce delicious fruits and vegetables, they are also a non-pro...

Where Are They Now? with Khloe Thompson

18 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When Khloe Thompson was 9 years old, she started asking her mother questions about people experiencing homelessness. After learning more, she knew she...

Paying It Forward: Alx Uttermann & Brad Keimach

11 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When Brad Kaimack received a tax refund that he wasn't expecting, he knew he wanted to use it to do something kind for someone else. After hearing a s...

I Am My Ancestors' Wildest Dreams: Brianna Meeks

03 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Brianna Meeks has an offbeat but clear-headed dream to win back something that's incredibly meaningful to her family. And after thirteen long years of...

Brittany's Baskets of Hope: Brittany Schiavone and Ashley Asti

26 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Brittany's Baskets of Hope is a nonprofit organization that makes and delivers baskets to celebrate the arrival of babies with Down syndrome. Since de...

Where Are They Now? with Team Jenny Bean

21 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today we're catching up with two wonderful returning guests, Mike and Jenny Shaw of Team Jenny Bean. Jenny Shaw was only 6 years old when she was diag...

Women in Training: Brooke, Breanna & Adeyela Bennett

12 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Brooke and Breanna Bennett always wanted to make a positive impact in their community, but weren't exactly sure where to start. When they heard about ...

Disrupting Racism in Children: Katie Ishizuka and Ramón Stephens

07 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Katie Ishizuka and Ramón Stephens are the powerful duo behind "The Conscious Kid", an education, research, and policy organization dedicated to equit...

Little Bear Sanctuary: Christopher Vane

29 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Christopher Vane has always had a deep connection with animals. In 2017, he moved to Southwest Florida to be closer to his parents, and at the same ti...

A Light in Her Community: Marcella Thompson

24 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

To her local community, Marcella Thompson is a living angel. Marcella saw that many local families were struggling to make ends meet and felt compelle...

Bracelets for Unity & Justice: Ron & Kamryn Johnson

17 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Minneapolis-area parents Ron and Shani Johnson have always taught their two young daughters to love other people and to give back. After the death of ...

Minda Brusse and Alex Iskold: The $1K Project

10 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions of families across the United States. People are facing job loss, depleted savings, food insecurity, and s...

Karida Collins: NFC Momentum Fund

29 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Karida Collins is a small business owner based in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition to her passion for hand-dyed yarns and fibers, which she sells at h...

Ellie Laks: The Gentle Barn

25 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since Ellie Laks was a young girl, she felt a deep connection with animals. Their gentleness and unconditional love has always touched her, and e...

Gabi and Mary Angelini: Gabi's Grounds

18 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the summer of 2017, 20-year-old Gabi Angelini was on the job hunt like most young adults her age. What she didn't anticipate, however, was how many...

Sean and Leo Sotaridona: Magic, Kindness & Joy

12 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sean Sotaridona is an 18-year-old master magician who has gained a following of over 12 million on TikTok. Sean is passionate about using his platform...

In Solidarity

05 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Black Lives Matter.

Grace Berbig: Letters of Love

28 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Grace Berbig was only 10 years old when her mother passed away after a three-year fight with leukemia. Grace promised herself she would do something m...

Tori Urban, Dia Swan & Leo Porth: Hoops 4 Hope

22 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hoops 4 Hope is a nonprofit organization that provides a basketball league for men experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. Over time, multiple shel...

Alex Louis-Jacques: Music for Brooklyn's Children

14 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For the past 7 years, Alex Branson has been entertaining and educating children in Brooklyn, New York through her dynamic music classes called, "Laven...

Evan Feinberg, Hal Cato & Terri Sorensen: #HelpTheHelpers

04 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Evan Feinberg is the executive director of the Stand Together Foundation, an organization that aims to end the cycle of poverty in America by building...

Mohamed Bzeek: Foster Father for Kids Who Need It Most

01 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For over 25 years, Mohamed Bzeek has been exclusively taking in foster children who are sick or terminally ill. Mohamed's inspiration comes from his l...

Rob Kaiser & Scott Adams: Feeding Frontline Workers

22 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rob Kaiser is a proud resident of Wilmington, North Carolina. Aside from his time spent publishing at a local newspaper, he is passionate about his co...

Maggie Vo: Love and Food for Boston

22 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Maggie Vo's family started the Sate Grill food truck 31 years ago, and have been feeding the Boston community ever since. When the COVID-19 pandemic s...

Jen Wickens: Equal Access Learning

22 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jen Wickens is the founder of Impact Public Schools, an organization that works to close the opportunity gap for diverse communities across Washington...

Heather Cook: Supporting Durham's Artists

22 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The artist community in Durham, North Carolina is something special. From their rich history to the deeply supportive nature of the community, looking...

Diane Villiavieja and Rachel Mitrani: Koalas of NYC

17 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In fall of 2019, devastating bushfires broke out in Australia and continued to rage for months, making it the worst fires in the continent's history. ...

Nick Fiorito: Kindness News Network

10 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You might remember brothers Mike & Nick Fiorito from an earlier episode of our podcast where we introduced you to their incredible grassroots nonprofi...

Justin & Sheri Sather: For the Love of Frogs

03 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Nine year old Justin has loved frogs for as long as he can remember. So when he learned that nearly one-third of the earth's frog species are in dange...

Linsdey Barrow & Randy Thompson: Save 'The Ruby LA'

27 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Ruby LA is an intersectional feminist comedy theater & school in Los Angeles, California, whose purpose is to lift up marginalized voices. They wo...

Jeff Lew: Compassion Amidst COVID-19

18 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff Lew is just a regular dad from Seattle -- except he's not. After discovering a widespread crisis called "lunch debt" in 2017, Jeff jumped into ac...

Mary Davis and Matthew Bennett: Worthy of Love

13 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A few years ago, Mary Davis and her husband Ari suffered the loss of their first baby to a miscarriage. To help them both process, Mary and Ari decide...

Chelsea VonChaz: #HappyPeriod

05 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In 2015, Chelsea VonChaz was out in town with her mother when the two witnessed something that broke their hearts -- they saw a homeless woman crossin...

Ahmed Alwan: Spreading Joy Through TikTok

28 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You may have seen a viral video going around recently filmed from inside a New York deli & grocery store, also known as a bodega. The person behind th...

Dr. Kwane Stewart: The Street Vet

20 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Dr. Kwane Stewart has been a veterinarian for over 20 years. After spending an afternoon offering medical care to the pets of people experiencing home...

Rachel Raimist: It's Never Too Late for Your Dreams

14 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

22 years ago, Rachel Raimist was a film student at UCLA, following her dreams of being a film director. Then, in one fell swoop, her life was turned u...

The Hoop Bus: For the Love of Basketball

07 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What do you get when you introduce an Instagram legend from Sweden, an LA basketball league founder from France, and a former college basketball star ...

Tyler Stallings & Andrea Blackstone: You're Never Too Young to Give Back

31 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When four-year-old Tyler Stallings watched a video about veterans living on the streets, he knew that he had to do something to help. At first, he ask...

Amber Gilleylen & Seth Phillips: A Little Kindness Goes A Long Way

24 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

One Tuesday afternoon in St. Louis, Missouri, tornado sirens started going off. Amber Gilleylen and her teenage son Seth were driving by a gas station...

Champale Anderson: Food and Love for Hungry Kids

16 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Champale Anderson of St. Louis, Missouri noticed that her kids' friends were always hungry when they came over to her house after school. After learni...

Kevin Upshur: A Safe Haven for Philadelphia

09 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Kevin Upshur has called the Philadelphia neighborhood of Strawberry Mansion home for his entire life, so it was painful for him to watch as the area b...

Jahkil Jackson: Homeless Support Network

19 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When 5-year-old Jahkil Jackson first handed out food to folks living on the streets with his aunt, he was saddened to learn that not everyone had home...

Daniel Alvarado: Cancer Fighters to the Rescue

17 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When Daniel was 6 years old, his brother, Diego, was diagnosed with Leukemia. When he would go to the hospital to visit his brother, Daniel remembers ...

Lance Cooper: Water for Flint

12 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Lance Cooper is the creator of the Save Flint Challenge which works to provide clean water and support to residents of Flint, Michigan, as they naviga...

Sergio Cordova: Support for Asylum Seekers

10 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Sergio lives in Brownsville, Texas, which is right on the Mexico border. Asylum seekers arrive daily but are simply dropped off at a bus station with ...

Kofi Thomas: The Good Life Garden

04 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017, Kofi Thomas came across a long-forgotten garden in Bushwick, Brooklyn that had fallen into serious disrepair. Where most people would have se...

Lisa Peyton-Caire: The Foundation for Black Women's Wellness

27 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Thirteen years ago, Lisa's mother died at the age of 64 from congestive heart failure in a tiny hospital room in Richmond, Virginia. Her mother's deat...

Charlie Hyatt: Making a House a Home for Veterans

21 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A few years ago, Charlie Hyatt went to her local VFW to volunteer and spend time with some of the veterans there and she learned of a heartbreaking is...

GoFundMe Heroes Celebration Roundtable

20 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On November 14th, the first annual GoFundMe Heroes Celebration took place in San Francisco, California, where we honored 5 community-nominated change-...

Asha Curran, Giving Tuesday CEO: The Power of Giving

14 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Asha Curran is the CEO of Giving Tuesday. TSGP host Kelsea Little sits down with her to talk about the power of giving and kindness, Asha's inspiring ...

Brigid Bonner & Tomo Riley: The Power of Sharing

07 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

November is National Family Caregivers Month - caregivers are some of the hardest working people on the planet and they rarely get the credit they des...

Sir Darius and Joy Brown: Bowties for Shelter Dogs

31 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017,10-year-old Sir Darius Brown was following the news of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and was especially heartbroken to see all of the displaced ...

Obocho & Sasha Peters: Giving Back in Brooklyn

24 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When Obocho's mom told him they couldn't afford to buy new toys, he decided to find a solution—not only for himself but for other kids in his commun...

Tommy Maher: The Honor Network

17 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since Tommy Maher was a first responder during 9/11, he was deeply affected not only by the extreme tragedy of that day, but also by the incredib...