People Doing Good

Stories of people making a difference in the world

A person in a blue jacket and cap stands beside a pickup truck loaded with camping gear, including black bags and a roof rack with a kayak, in a forest setting.

DIY off-roaders race in public lands trash pickup contest. They ended this year with 5M pounds cleaned

Gambler 500 participants are “a disorganized group of people who like to drive bad cars, go camping, and pick up trash on public lands,” one person described.

A suspension footbridge with metal railings and wooden planks spans between trees. A white sign reads "LONGVIEW, WA MARCH 19, 1963 NUTTY NARROWS BRIDGE" with an illustration of a squirrel.

About 40M squirrels are killed by drivers each year. So this city created the world's first-ever 'squirrel bridge'

The city’s passion for protecting squirrels has even led to an annual “Squirrel Fest.”

A photo collage of a mom holding her child, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul standing in front of a lectern, a red wolf puppy, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and a man stands next to a pile of boxes

Good News This Week: July 18, 2026 - Vaccines, Mosquitoes, & Red Wolves

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

Two people shake hands in front of a storefront with a sign reading "The Monticello News." The person on the left wears a black polo shirt and glasses; the person on the right wears a bright pink button-up shirt.

25-year-old reporter buys his hometown newspaper to save it from corporate ownership

Evan Newton is now one of the youngest newspaper owners in the country.

Person wearing black clothing, gray gloves, and a black face mask with a purple eyemask design sits on a rooftop overlooking a nighttime cityscape with numerous lights.

An EMT is dressing up as 'The Roanoke Raven' to save his city: 'If it takes wearing a superhero mask to do it, let’s do it'

By day, he’s already a hero. By night, he’s a different kind of hero.

A mountain lion walks through tall grass and brush at night, looking toward the camera with a kill visible in the lower right corner.

Family sells 136-year-old farm to make way for wildlife crossing deemed 'a lifeline' for mountain lions

The I-5 wildlife crossing would bridge the Cascades and the Olympic Peninsula.

A large group of people standing in ocean waves at a beach with a blue sky above. A banner reading "SKINNY DIP" is visible among the group.

Worldwide 'skinny dip day' boosts body positivity and raises thousands for charity

A collective $61,000 has been raised under the adage: “Get naked for a good cause.”

Mamdani sits in a classroom looking at a kid that's out-of-focus and out-of-frame

Mamdani, NYC public schools invest $67.5M in special education amid federal budget cuts

New York City’s $67.5 million investment in preschoolers comes as families and advocates worry federal changes could make special education services even harder to access.

A tiny sea turtle hatchling is held in human hands above sand, with seaweed visible in the background.

Man goes viral for saving wayward baby sea turtle 'the right way'

A popular TikTok video shows a man helping a baby sea turtle hatchling find its way back to shore.

A raccoon looks up from inside a metal storm drain grate. Small green plants grow nearby on the concrete surface.

Firefighters free raccoon trapped under sewer grate in 'jaws of life' rescue mission

After the first responders had completed the job, the masked critter ran back to its natural habitat.

A man in a dark polo shirt and orange snorkel gear stands in shallow ocean water holding a wooden rake-like tool, with traditional fish traps visible in the background across the water.

New Indonesia roadmap aims to protect Indigenous knowledge for biodiversity

Indonesia is developing a roadmap to recognize and protect Indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ traditional knowledge in biodiversity conservation, aligning with its commitments to international frameworks.

Two porcupines with quills raised interact closely at night, captured on thermal camera at 14°C/57°F on 08/03/2025.

Porcupines are disappearing in Oregon. Libraries are loaning trail cameras out to locals who want to help save them

To access a trail camera, locals must be signed up to participate in one of the state’s citizen science studies.