People Doing Good

Stories of people making a difference in the world

On the left, an elderly woman smiles as she uses a wheelchair to descend a Lego ramp. On the right, a colorful mix of Lego bricks up close.

German grandma builds wheelchair ramps from Legos to make her town more accessible — and colorful

67-year-old Rita Ebel has been changing her hometown of Hanau, Germany for the better, one Lego brick at a time.

Two photos side-by-side. On the left, Hank Green poses against a blue background. On the right is a screenshot of the "Focus Friend" app, where an illustrated bean holds a phone in a brightly decorated room

Hank Green launches new ADHD-friendly app where a bean that lives in your phone will only knit if you focus

The new app has already skyrocketed in popularity in the App Store.

A photo collage of a recycling center, two men sorting through trash, a hand holding a box of Vans, four people posing for a photo, and a TV on a TV console inside a living room

Good News This Week: August 16, 2025 - Shoes, Cheese, & Wheelchairs

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

A group of Nepalese women in girls in brightly colored clothing hold rolled-up black rubber mats

16-year-old upcycles toxic rubber waste into emergency sleeping mats for homeless people

Priyanshi Poddar has recently received global recognition for her work at Project Saathi.

A group of older Catholic sisters walk through the streets of downtown Atlanta

500+ Catholic sisters embark on 'pilgrimage of hope' to support immigrants, the environment

The gathering brought together women religious leaders from 18 countries.

Books about Hope: “The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times” by Douglas Abrams and Jane Goodall, “Ladder to the Light: An Indigenous Elder’s Meditations on Hope and Courage” by Steven Charleston, and “Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities” by Rebecca Solnit

23 Must-Read Books About Hope That Inspire Change & Action

Hope has fueled movements, allowed us to seek solutions, and inspires us to keep moving forward. We’ve rounded up the best books to help you feel hopeful.

Six people stand around a solar powered blanket invention on a table. In the center is 12-year-old Rebecca Young, who designed the item. On the right is a cover of TIME Magazine featuring 9 diverse LEGO figures.

12-year-old named 'girl of the year' for designing solar-powered sleeping bags for her homeless neighbors

Her prototype was recognized with an engineering award in 2024.

A man in a wheelchair cruises down a trail in Rocky Mountain National Park

Another national park is rolling out all-terrain wheelchairs, so everyone can take a hike

This makes the park one of 28 national park sites to offer free mobility devices to visitors.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley, two veterinarians, and Brad Paisley, smile while petting a gray pit bull

Brad Paisley & Kimberly Williams-Paisley launch free vet clinic to help Nashville pets (and their parents)

A follow-up to a prior successful event, the couple teamed up with The Companion Project to provide free veterinary care.

A wheelchair user drinks a beer at a table next to a box full of fries.

A restaurant table was too low for his wheelchair. Then the staff surprised him: 'It reminded me that kindness is everywhere'

Cory Lee has been all over the world. But it’s the small things, like a restaurant table, that can change the trajectory of an entire trip.

A charcuterie board with a white brie cut into pieces across the top.

Auction breaks records, raises thousands to cover the cost of emergency medical care through the power of cheese

At the Great Yorkshire Show in the North of England, cheese lovers have an annual tradition of bidding on award-winning wheels.

The front of a brick building reads "American Red Cross Donation Center"

This man has donated a total of 100 gallons of platelets to the Red Cross every two weeks for 30 years: 'Because I can'

The 62-year-old Portland, Oregon bus driver has been visiting the Red Cross every two weeks for most of his life.