People Doing Good

Stories of people making a difference in the world

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

A photo collage of two kids in front of a vending machine, the checkout counters at Home Depot, a bag with the label 'Turkey Dinner In A Bag', an animal seen in frame with shipping containers behind it, and a man wearing a face mask organizing produce at a grocery store

Good News This Week: November 29, 2025 - Groceries, Gardeners, & Food Banks

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

Every year, volunteers build artificial snow drifts for endangered seal pups. It's helping the population rebound

Due to these efforts, the Saimaa seal population has rebounded to about 400, compared to lows of 100 seals in the 1980s.

A woman and a young boy color on a piece of paper with crayons

Child care workers form a network of resistance against ICE: 'Prepare for the worst and hope for the best'

“The immigration and the child care movements, they are one in the same now,” said Anali Alegria.

Chef David Martin plates a dessert in a commercial kitchen

These chefs left prestigious culinary jobs to cook at nursing homes: 'We want to make this industry better'

David Martin and Harry Shen are breaking stereotypes by making gourmet meals for nursing home residents.

A group of people gathers at an Ostbelgien Citizens Assembly meeting

To restore trust in government, this Belgian town opened a lottery that elects 30 random citizens to power. It's working.

Ostbelgien took a bet that a participatory democracy would improve its government. Six years later, that bet is paying off.

A table is made up with food, plates, and flowers

9 gathering resources to help you thrive — not just survive — the holidays

Want to make the most out of your gatherings this season? These resources will make everything — from conversation to overthinking those conversations later — easier.

An aerial view of a spread of Thanksgiving food, all in foil containers

For those hungry for the holidays, this influencer invents and donates 'Thanksgiving in a Box'

Rebecca Chobat has been finding ways to make low-cost meals fulfilling and delicious for years, through her TikTok account @dollartreedinners.