People Doing Good

Stories of people making a difference in the world

Two young women sit at a desk studying and smiling at each other

No more 'heart vs. head:' New study shows how empathy and reasoning both inspire us to help others

New research examines how empathy and reasoning impact altruistic judgments and enable people to help one another.
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San Jose Valley Fair Mall

This couple sheltered 50 people in their home as shoppers fled San Jose mall shooting: 'They were like angels'

Martin and Irene Garcia ushered in dozens of terrified shoppers running for their lives, as seen through Ring doorbell footage.
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A photo collage of a popemobile encased in glass, a whale shark swims in the ocean, Pattie Gonia poses for a photo, solar panels cover a parking lot, and two people sitting on a bench

Good News This Week: December 6, 2025 - Sharks, Santas, & Solar Panels

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...
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Empty seats on a Delta Airlines flight

This airline is giving away free gift cards to 100K people. To get one, you have to perform a random act of kindness

Customers who demonstrate an act of kindness while traveling may just be rewarded by their flight team.
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On an orange scribble background are handwritten words reading "you matter"

The secret to confronting political division and anxiety? Feeling like we actually matter, Jennifer Wallace says

Jennifer Breheny Wallace is the expert on mattering, something she calls “a deep human need” to “feel valued by the people around us and to know that we have value to give back.”
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6th grader Julian stands behind a metal cart with an Oregon license plate spelling his name

Meal time was extra challenging for this disabled first grader, so a lunch lady made him a custom 'cafeteria cart'

First grader Julian has a form of dwarfism, and his cart helps him navigate the cafeteria and get his lunch with ease.
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Two women huddle up in a shared cry

From crying clubs to cuddle therapy, here's how people are combatting loneliness across the US

According to a recent survey from the American Psychological Association, over half of Americans feel isolated.
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A boy stands in front of a man wearing a Santa Claus costume

For these diverse professional Santas, spreading kindness is a calling

Researchers surveyed 849 professional Santas who live across the U.S.
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A bus driver, Tina Hutcherson, holds a bundle of knitted beanies in her arms while standing and smiling in front of a school bus

School bus driver knits hats for every student on her route: 'I hope they know somebody loves them'

Tina Hutcherson is fighting clothing insecurity with one skein of yarn at a time.
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Giving Tuesday logo on a colorful background

Giving Tuesday: What It Is and How To Celebrate

Giving Tuesday takes place on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. We’ve compiled a guide on celebrating this annual tradition of giving back.
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Two photos side by side. On the left is a six-legged spider robot atop dry soil. On the right is a pair of 19-year-old students, a boy and a girl, standing among green trees

After wildfires destroyed their local forests, these students invented a tree-planting 'spider robot' to save them

The robot, called Trovador, is a six-legged, autonomous robot that plants trees in hard-to-reach areas.
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Drag Queen Pattie Gonia in a park ranger outfit next to a screenshot of Pattie Gonia backpacking in the outdoors

Drag queen Pattie Gonia is hiking 100 miles in full drag to raise $1M for charity

The environmentalist and LGBTQ+ rights champion is supporting eight nonprofits focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoors.
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