People Doing Good

Stories of people making a difference in the world

Two photos side by side. On the left, Marcel LeBrun holds up a drill in a selfie, with a nervous look on his face. On the right, an aerial view of a tiny home neighborhood in Canada

Tech millionaire builds village of 99 tiny houses for homeless neighbors in Canada

Marcel LeBrun made millions as a software executive. But then, he devoted his fortune to affordable housing.

On the left: a pile of garbage underneath a bridge. In the middle: two men sit on a bench, one senior, one middle-aged, both with white hair and bears. They are smiling. On the right: two people lay down on pavement to sleep for the night with their feet out in front of them in and city lights in the distance.

For 90 days, a man became 'homeless on purpose' to see how his unhoused neighbors lived. Then he raised $20K to help them

Over 90 days, Eric Bump Overstreet experienced the hardships of being homeless — and his undercover experiment went to a good cause.

Two images side by side: Drag queen Pattie Gonia in a yellow tent dress, and the April 2025 issue of National Geographic

Drag queen and environmentalist Pattie Gonia honored in inaugural 'National Geographic 33' list

She joins a list of honorees including Selena Gomez, Jason Momoa, Björk, Don Cheadle, and more.

On the left, a Black woman in a dollar tree grocery story looks up as someone off screen says: "Do you have 2 dollars?" In the middle: the same woman holds a hand over her eyes as she says "God will provide." On the right: the woman looks shocked as someone off screen offers her $1,000 cash in Candian dollars

A homeless mom gave away $2 to help a parent in need. Then the internet stepped in to help

A Nigerian mother of two was struggling to pursue a college education as she singlehandedly raised her twin infants. Then TikTok creator Zachery Dereniowski shared her story.

Hank & John Green launch new eco-friendly cleaning line that donates 100% of profits to coral reef restoration

Hank & John Green have expanded their give-back products to include eco-friendly cleaning and home products.

A photo collage of the front of a building, three people conversing inside a library, a baby sea turtle swims in the water, fingers holding a small biosensor, and an aerial view of the River Ouse in England

Good News This Week: March 8, 2025 - Surfers, Rivers, & Solar Skins

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

Three people from the Father Joe's Villages bike-riding group take their bikes for a spin in San Diego

'Earn-a-bike' program gives San Diego's homeless their own ride after 100 miles

Participants have logged thousands of miles in the program's decade-long history.

A woman walks in a parking lot, her back turned to the camera. She is wearing a neon yellow high-visibility vest that reads "Montana Bar Fairies"

How volunteer 'bar fairies' incentivize safety in the state with the worst drunk driving rates

The undercover “fairies” celebrate those who have chosen a safe ride home.

A photo collage of an aerial view of a solar farm, a woman walks up a hill with a stick, a Spotify playlist screenshot of the 'Is This What We Want?" album by 1,000 UK Artists, a mother and son posing for the camera, and a crowd looking at the SS United States -- a historic ocean liner

Good News This Week: March 1, 2025 - Hostels, Trees, & Albums

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

A string of biodegradable Mardi Gras beads is made from 3D-printed bio-based plastics. The gold, purple, and green beads sit on a plain black backdrop.

Mardi Gras beads take up to 500 years to decompose, so these LSU students designed a biodegradable alternative

The PlantMe Beads have been nearly four years in the making.

A shipping container home sits near a bayou in Louisiana under a navy blue night sky

Hurricane Katrina survivor builds 'durable' shipping container homes for others displaced by disaster

After living through his own share of loss, Joshua Clark has created affordable homes to withstand future disasters.

Francis — a pope who championed the poor and challenged tradition

Pope Francis was the first person from the Americas to be elected to the papacy. He was also the first pope to choose Francis as his name, thus honoring St. Francis of Assisi.